Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Something wicked this way comes

And as I set to face it, I'm unsure. Should I embrace it, should I run?"

-Brutus, The Buttress

There was a serial killer in New York. Ironically, at the same time, Marc Spector and his alter decided to move to the big apple for a new change of scenery. After the whole debacle with Harrow and his cult and running around in Egypt fighting bad guys as Knoshu’s avatar, they decided to move someplace far away from London for a new start. Saying goodbye to the rainy streets of London, they set up in a small apartment in Queens.

With a beautiful view of the sparkling city and the flowing waters of the Hudson River, their little space in New York seemed almost perfect. It rarely rained, a drastic change from London, and Steven Grant welcomed it with open arms. Spending so much in a city where it rained, the warm weather was like a breath of fresh air. A month went by, and life seemed good. Steven got a job at a local museum and could finally act out his dream of being a tour guide.

Marc did some local jobs, whatever he could get, even though it wasn’t as exciting as being a mercenary or working for Khonshu. He hated being the God’s puppet, but he did enjoy taking down the scum from the world. He was proud of what he did even though he had no choice in the matter.

Marc loved running over the rooftops of city buildings, the glow of the moon a backdrop behind him, illuminating his white robes in a mystic glow. There was a small part of him that missed hearing the old bird’s booming voice, but he knew deep down that was just because he had gotten so used to it. Khonshu saved his life, and he was forever grateful for that.

That was the past, though, and New York was now the present, their bright and shining new home. Even though Layla was still in Egypt, they video-called her whenever they could. Everything was perfect until it wasn’t. They had awful luck, didn’t they? Turning on the TV one Sunday night, Steven flipped through the channels. The News popped on, a man and woman talking about the recent events happening that day.

It was nothing exciting, and just as Steven was about to turn it off, the man spoke in a shocked voice.

“This just in, we have reports of a massive shooting in downtown Hell’s kitchen. A local biker gang called “The Bull Dogs” were all shot dead in their own club, all twenty of them. Witnesses say they first heard loud gunshots ringing out, nothing unusual in a place like Hell’s Kitchen, but it didn’t stop for at least a couple more minutes. We have current photos of the fresh crime scene, but viewers beware, these photos may be disturbing to some individuals.”

Steven stopped, his finger inches away from pressing the off button on the remote. His body froze in place, eyes glued to the screen. “Steven, you don’t need to see that. Turn off the TV.” Marc said, his voice gruff in his mind.

“Twenty dead? Did you hear that? Twenty people…” Steven muttered, and his hand started to shake.

Pictures popped up on the screen. The first one was of a building, the bikers club. Half of the windows were gone, while bullet holes littered the rest standing. It looked like a whole army of soldiers had fired off their guns at the building. Yellow caution tape was placed in front of where the door should be, now lying on the ground with shattered glass. The second photo popped up, one that was taken inside the club.

“Steven, give me the body,” Marc demands again, but Steven holds on tight, his shock balancing him.

The dead bodies were blurred, but that didn’t stop the obvious carnage being shown. Twenty bodies all lay in the bar. Some face down while others hang out of chairs like puppets without strings. Blood was everywhere. Brains litter the walls like abstract paintings. It looked like the killer had fun painting the walls red.

The news reporters came back, their faces grim and pale. “It isn’t uncommon for Hell’s Kitchen to see lots of crime, but this…This is barbaric.” The man says, his voice trying to stay even.

“Turn off the TV,” Marc snaps, his anger finally overflowing.

This time Steven listens. Their small apartment feels suddenly dark without the light from the TV. Steven’s seen his fair share of dead bodies and bloodshed, so the pictures weren't what bothered him. It was the fact that it happened so close to their new home.

This was supposed to be a fresh start without crime. But of course, only a month after settling in their new home, a serial killer had to come to New York.

Just their luck.

Chapter Text

"They said they did not want my face in their magazine

'Cause I'm not beautiful

Am I the most fucking fantastic freak

You've ever seen? Did I make you scream?”

-Beautiful is Boring by Bones UK

Steven and Marc had all night to process the shocking news, as they couldn’t get much sleep from it.

Waking up from a blaring alarm, Marc lazily sits up from bed. He hits the clock, its red numbers flashing 7:00 AM, and groans, drinking in the city sounds of New York. The sounds of twittering morning birds overlapped with the harsh honk of car horns and people yelling over traffic.

The one thing he didn’t like about New York was all the traffic, but it did give him more opportunity to get his steps in. Since Steven couldn’t drive, they decided to skip a car and just travel by foot.

Steven’s museum job wasn’t that far away, and all different kinds of stores surrounded the apartment building, so why need a car? Steven was still asleep in his mind, so Marc reluctantly got up and stretched out his back, grimacing as his bones popped.

He couldn’t believe that twenty people were killed last night. Even though bikers in Hell’s Kitchen don’t have the reputation of not being the best people, they still don’t deserve to die like slaughtered cattle. The killer must have been situated on a nearby rooftop with some sort of extra power sniper rifle.

There were so many bullet holes, and each one seemed to hit its target, meaning the killer had to be skilled in that sort of thing. Marc wiped the sleep out of his eyes and started up a coffee pot. The earthy smell of fresh coffee beans filled the apartment, instantly making Marc feel better.

He did love the smell of coffee in the morning. The way the killer did it so quickly suggests some military background or training. He not only knows which guns to use but knows how to use them. Hell’s Kitchen isn’t that close to Queen’s, but thirty minutes wasn’t a lot. It’s scary to think just thirty minutes away, twenty people were gunned down.

“Just our luck,” Marc grumbles out loud with a sigh.

The coffee pot hums, and he brings the cup to his lips, inhaling the steaming liquid. Since Steven’s mood has declined due to recent events, Marc had told Steven they could pick out a new fish after work today. Gus seemed lonely, being the only goldfish in his large tank, so why not get another one? Plus, it’ll lighten Steven’s mood. He can feel his alter start to wake up, the man yawning and wiping his eyes sleepily.

“Mornin, Marc,” He says with a lazy smile.

Staring at the long mirror in their small living room, Steven waves at Marc from the mirror.

“Ugh, coffee. I don’t understand how you can drink that stuff, mate,” Steven says with a grimace and a shake of his head.

“Well, it’s what gets this body through the day. If we only drank your gross tea, you would fall asleep halfway through your tour,” Marc responds with a smirk, holding up his cup for emphasis.

Steven groans but hides back a smile, “Yeah, yeah. Whatever, mate.”

Allowing Steven to take over the body, they get ready for work.

Time skip: After Work

“What an exciting day! I can’t believe so many people showed up. There was a whole bloody group of kids wanting to learn about Egyptian history!” Steven says with a wide smile, his hands gesturing with each word.

“It’s good someone wants to hear you talk about that stuff for hours. If I hear one more rant about the Goddess Bast, I’m gonna pass out from boredom.” Marc deadpans in his mind, but Steven chuckles, knowing Marc actually likes hearing Steven talk about that kind of stuff.

He just pretends not to. They were walking past all the city shops, all squished together in a wall of brick. In London, the shops and restaurants were all passed out, whether it was a little or by a lot. But here, in New York, everything seemed to be all part of the same brick wall. Stores blended into each other, making Steven’s head spin.

“Where’s this pet store, yeah?” Steven asks, a little worried they won’t make it in time due to how fast the sun is setting.

It was around 5:30 PM, and since it was late September, the sun was going down earlier than usual. It was beautiful, though, the sunset. It sat right between the tall buildings and illuminated the glass like shining crystals.

“Just a couple more shops, and we’ll be there,” Marc responds.

“I can’t wait! All the pet stores in London were small, with barely any fish selection, ya know? I wonder how big this one is gonna be. I bet we’ll even be able to see cats and other cute animals! I’m so excited!” Steven squeals with obvious excitement, causing Marc to smile.

He loved seeing Steven this happy because even though it technically wasn’t him, he was still experiencing something he never got to in his childhood. Childlike wonder and excitement. He was seeing it all through Steven’s eyes.

“We’re here!” Marc announces, motioning Steven to the large building to his right. The building was much bigger than the one back in London and two glass doors stood in the middle of the brick shop. Glass display cases were on both sides of the doors, advertising different pet toys.

“Oh, I’m so excited,” Steven whispers quickly, not wanting to be too loud in case someone sees him talking to himself in the store.

Numerous ailes of pet food, pet toys, pet clothing, and pet beds/cages stood in neat rows in the middle of the store. To the left, fish tanks covered the walls in a colorful display, advertising all different kinds of fish and even hermit crabs. To the right was a little spot for dog grooming and the cat adoption section. Steven immediately speed walked to the fish section, his eyes widening at all the variety of pets.

“Look, Marc! They have every kind of bloody fish and sea creature here!” Steven excitedly whispered, causing the old man across from him to give him a weird look.

But Steven didn’t care. What only mattered was choosing a friend for Gus.

“Hmm, let’s see….How about another goldfish? Or a different species of fish? But what happens if the non-goldfish doesn’t like Gus? Oh, Marc, I don’t know what to do…” Marc sighs, a little embarrassed that Steven is talking so loudly.

“Let’s just pick another goldfish, yeah?” Steven nods quickly and goes to the goldfish tank.

Gus was a bit on the little side, so maybe getting one similar to him would be good?

“That one is perfect,” Steven exclaims, pointing at a medium-sized goldfish lazily swimming in the middle of the tank.

“Good choice. Let’s get it and go, yeah? It’s getting dark out.” Marc says, his tone edgy.

He was starting to get a little antsy by how dark outside was getting. Even though their apartment wasn’t that far, New York at night wasn’t the safest place. Marc knew how to fight in case anything did happen, but he didn’t want Steven to have to deal with any of that. He had to protect Steven, so there could be an innocent part of him still left. “Okay!” Steven says with a giggle, oblivious to Marc’s worry.

After asking an employee to retrieve the fish he wanted and put it into a bag, Steven went to go pay. He stopped, his eyes going wide. A very tall man with a dog stood next to one of the rows, the store's fluorescent lights shining off his black sunglasses.

“A dog!” Steven whispers, barely being able to contain his excitement.

Marc sighed, “You wanna pet the dog, Steven?”

The British man nodded and got in line behind the man. Up close, the stranger looked even taller. He had to be at least 6’5 or taller, Steven’s head not even passing his shoulders. His dark red dress shirt clung loosely to his lanky build, the shirt buttoned just enough so his red crystal necklace could lay against his olive toned skin.

The man’s thin fingers twirled around his dog’s leash, his nails painted black. Steven couldn’t stop staring at the huge black dog that sat perfectly still next to the man, tongue lazily hanging out of the side of her mouth between sharp canines.

“Go on, ask if you can pet his dog,” Marc said with a sigh.

“Um, excuse me. Sir?” Steven’s thick British accent filled the quiet pet store, his cheeks heating instantly as the man slowly turned around to meet his eyes.

“Yes?” The man asks, his voice deep and kind.

“Could I pet your dog?”

The tall man smiles, “Of course, she’s really friendly.”

There was something musically about the way he said his words, like he was trying to hold back a smile.

“Thank you!” Steven mummers and crouches down to the ground, putting out his hand so the dog can smell him.

She sniffs his hand, her wet nose rubbing his palm.

Steven giggles, “She’s a beauty! What breed is she?” With one last sniff, the dog decides Steven’s past the test and goes in for a lick on the face.

The man laughs, a deep throaty sound, “Not sure. I think she’s a German Sheperd and Husky mix. But honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was half-wolf!”

Steven nods, “I could definitely see that. She’s huge!” The shorter man softly pets the dog’s head, enjoying the way her fluffy fur feels underneath his fingers.

“What’s her name?”

“Bambi.”

Steven looks up at the man to see him smiling down at him, a strand of his brown hair falling in front of his eye.

Steven blushes and quickly looks back at the dog, “Like the movie?”

The tall man snorts, “It means little girl in Italian, thought it was funny cause she’s so big, ya know?”

Steven stands up, “Oh, I didn’t know Bambi meant that. How funny, but it’s a cute name!”

The last light from the setting sun has finally disappeared, making the harsh glow from the ceiling the only source of light.

“Steven, you've talked long enough. Pay for the fish and leave,” Marc says, his voice suddenly demanding.

Steven sighs, “Looks like it’s already bloody night. Crazy how fast it happens now that it’s getting colder.”

Bambi seems to agree with that because she gives a quiet “Woof!”

“Awww, I agree with Bambi. I get so used to summer hours that when winter hits, boom! My whole schedule goes out of wack. It’s like my body’s telling me to go to bed at 6:00 PM, but my mind’s like, no, this isn’t right...”

The man’s eyes go wide underneath his sunglasses, “Sorry, I tend to ramble. Hope it isn’t boring you.”

Steven waves his hands, “No, no. Not at all! I do that, too, ramble and stuff. When I get passionate about something I like, I tend to go on long rambles. Explaining it in detail and stuff.”

“Good to hear I’m not alone.”

“What’s your name, by the way?” Steven suddenly asks and instantly blushes, regretting his rash decision. He needs to work on filtering his thoughts.

“Why, wondering if it’s as cute as Bambi’s?” He gives Steven a playful smirk.

Steven opens his mouth but can’t seem to get any words out.

Was this man….flirting with him?

The man waves his hand, “Kidding. It’s no way near as pretty as Bambi. The name’s Romeo. What’s yours?”

Steven laughs even though Marc is yelling at him to stop the conversation. “Steven. Steven with a V.”

Chapter Text

"You've already won me over in spite of me

And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet

And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are

I couldn't help it

It's all your fault"

- Head over Feet by Alanis Morissette

“When I meet someone named Steven, it’s usually spelled with ‘PH’ instead of a ‘V’, but I like it. It suits you,” Romeo says, his eyes gazing down at Steven.

Now that Romeo’s face is in full view, the British man realizes how strange it is to be wearing sunglasses during the night. Maybe he was wearing them all day, it was a pretty sunny day, so he probably just forgot to take them off. But with his face being so close and Steven having to lift his head up to talk, he notices the beginning of a scar on Romeo’s left eye.

Since his sunglasses were so dark, he couldn’t see if the scar went over his eye, but seeing how the scar tissue went underneath the glass lens as well, he could probably guess that it did. Steven knew about scarring due to how many times he and Marc had gotten stabbed while working for Khonshu.

The scar tissue was white, indicating the wound was at least a year old. He could see how knotted and ragged the skin was in the scar, the harsh white light of the store making Romeo’s scar look even nastier than it probably was.

“Stop staring, Steven. It’s rude,” Marc snaps without any aggression.

He was getting tired of Steven’s unnecessary conversation. He had petted the dog, so he had no need to talk to this stranger.

Even though Marc wasn’t in the body, he felt a strange, uneasy feeling when he looked at Romeo through Steven’s eyes. There was something off about the man, but he wasn’t sure why.

Romeo tilts his head, “Looks like you've seen a ghost. You okay?”

“Just apologize and walk away, Steven. Okay?” Marc says with a long sigh.

“Oh, sorry! I space out sometimes when I’m thinking. Don’t mean to be rude at all! I’m sorry if I was staring. Sorry if it seemed that way..” Steven exclaims sheepishly, a hand scratching the back of his neck.

Romeo shrugs, “It’s okay if you were staring at me. It happens a lot.” He gestures to his face, specifically his left eye.

“Even though my sunglasses cover most of my scar, half of it still peaks out. You know how some people can get when they see something like that.”

Yeah, Steven can understand that. Even though he doesn’t have any physical differences, when he talks to himself in public, people tend to give him judgmental stares. He tells himself that he doesn’t care, but in reality, he knows he hates being perceived as crazy by other people, even if they are just strangers he’s probably never going to see again.

It hurts when people give him weird glares and the whispers that follow. He isn’t crazy. He just needs a little more help than other people, and that’s okay. Everyone has their differences and struggles, so why should people see him as insane?

“Yeah, I get that. Not to the scar part but to, ya know, people staring,” Steven says with a sad chuckle.

Romeo gives Bambi a pat on the head, “What I’ve learned over the years is that you shouldn’t care about what other people think of you. Don’t let some judgy stares stop you from being your true self. It took me a while to accept that, but it was worth it in the end, trust me.”

Romeo smiles and gestures to himself, “Now I can wear anything I want and not give a shit! Fuck the people who don’t get it.”

Steven blushes at Romeo’s words, not used to someone so openly swearing. Plus, the way he talks about himself, it’s nice to hear someone so confident in themselves.

“Yeah, I agree…I mean, you look nice..Uh,” Steven shuffles on his feet, his words fumbling out of his mouth.

“You think I look nice?” Romeo smirks, looking down at Steven.

“Uh, I mean. The outfit is nice, I like the colors and stuff. And your necklace, it’s very pretty.”

Romeo stills for a second, and Steven isn’t sure if he caught him off guard or if he said something wrong. But Romeo quickly collects himself, putting that permanent half smile back on his face as if nothing happened.

“Thank you, really.” Romeo mummers and twists the crystal in his hand.

“It’s a ruby, right? I’m not the best expert in crystals, but I know a ruby when I see one,” Steven asks, his tone light.

Romeo nods slowly, his gaze almost sad as he stares at the necklace.

“Yeah, it’s a Ruby.” He clears his throat, “Anyway, It was nice meeting you, Steven. Me and Bambi have to get home, work in the morning, and all that. See you later.”

Romeo gives Steven a mock salute and exists the pet store without another word. Blinking, Steven frowns at Romeo’s sudden leaving.

“Was it something I said?” He whispers to Marc with a blush.

“Nah, he just had to leave. Now, buy the fish, and let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough human interaction for the day.”

Chapter Text

"I can't seem to face up to the facts

I'm tense and nervous and I can't relax

I can't sleep, 'cause my bed's on fire

Don't touch me, I'm a real live wire"

- Psycho Killer by Talking Heads

Jake Lockley wasn’t scared to admit that he liked working for Khonshu.

In fact, he couldn’t wait till the sun went down and the white glow of the moon lit up the night sky, signaling he could go out once again.

All the hustle and bustle of New York City only added to the beauty of the night. How the multicolored club lights danced like shining crystals. How the moonlight bounced off the reflections of glass windows, illuminating the ground below in a dazzling display of colors.

There was so much here, unlike the bleak city of London. He hated living in London and was glad for the new change of scenery.

New York was more his style.

With all the chaos and crime, it was perfect for his work.

Jake could stalk the nights, hiding in the dark alleyways and waiting for a criminal to show their true colors. Then, like a predator catching its prey, he would strike.

That was his job, and he enjoyed every second of it.

So, when Marc and Steven went back to their apartment for the night, put their new fish in the tank with Gus, and laid down for the night, Jake took over. He knew they needed their sleep, so Jake only did his job for a couple of hours.

His head mates couldn’t become suspicious of anything, or they'll know something was wrong.

Jake couldn’t show himself, not yet. He knew he had to make his presence known one of these days, but as each day passed by, it was getting harder and harder to do so.

With Marc finally getting rid of Knonshu, it would be a rude awakening knowing the body didn’t actually get rid of the God.

He couldn’t put that on Marc, he’d already been through so much, and it was Jake’s job to protect him. That was what he was made for, no matter the cost. He had to make sure no more harm came to Marc or Steven, even though he hadn’t been doing a good job.

He had to keep trying. So, as Marc and Steven drifted off to sleep, Jake escaped into the night.

“We should see if that pest strikes again,” A loud, booming voice echoes behind Jake.

“There can only be one moon knight. Anyone else must be eliminated.” Knonshu’s roaring, deep voice seemed to echo around Jake as they sailed over each building's rooftop.

Jake rolled his eyes; this was at least the tenth time Knosnhu expressed his want to get rid of the new Serial Killer in Hell’s Kitchen.

Even though the killer, or killers, got rid of criminals, Knosnhu was upset that it wasn’t Jake.

“We'll get him, Pájaro. Don’t worry,” Jake reassures as he swiftly jumps over to the next roof, his black cape flying behind him.

It’s been about two weeks since the club had been shot up, killing a dozen biker men in the process. Jake remembers that night perfectly, the way he heard the loud bang of gunshots and the crash of breaking glass.

It was a quiet night, the moon partly clouded in dark clouds and the stars shining like diamonds in the sky. He had just finished beating up a man who had been harassing a young girl in the corner of a shadow-filled alleyway.

Jake smiled as he gave the man another punch, one hard enough to knock him out. The blood on his knuckles blended in with the black fabric, another plus from Marc’s white outfit.

The white suit that Marc wore was too flashy for Jake, so Knonshu decided on something darker, something more of Jake’s style.

The cloth was as dark as the night sky. Highlights of white popped like stars across his cape. It was perfect for the avatar of the Moon God. It was like he was the part of the night himself. A living, breathing version of what Knosnhu represented.

“Good job, my child. We have once again protected the night,” Knosnhu boomed, his tall figure appearing next to Jake.

“I wish I could stay longer, Pájaro but Marc and Steven need their beauty sleep.”

Knonshu grumbled, “It is such an inconvenience that you have to share your body with such parasites. But you are worthy of being my avatar, so I’ll allow it.”

Jake sighed and was about to defend his headmates but was cut off by a loud gunshot.

“I sense a disturbance,” Knonshu bristled, his long-beaked face turning towards the noise.

“No shit, Pájaro,” Jake grumbled and ran towards the commotion.

Sailing across the night sky, his cape turning into an obsidian crescent behind him, he landed on the ground in front of a biker club.

The place looked like a wreck.

The front windows were all smashed in. Bullet holes covered the areas where the glass hadn’t fallen to the ground, littering the pavement in shards.

Even before entering the building, Jake sensed death. A lot of it.

“Be careful, my child. Something is very wrong here,” Knosnhu urged.

Jake swung the door back but didn’t need to. The door fell right off its hinges and fell backward into the club.

The metallic smell of blood assaulted his nose right away. The smell was so strong it had gone through his mask.

The bodies of men littered the floor like discarded mannequins, each one in different positions from how they died.

Blood splattered the walls like abstract paintings.

As Jake got closer, he saw that it wasn’t just blood but pieces of skin and meat as well.

The force of the bullets must have ripped through the skull and landed in sticky pieces on the wall.

The killer must have come inside to finish the job.

“He was just here. I can still smell his presence in the air.” Knosnhu roared and slammed the end of his staff against the club floor.

Grimacing, he sees a man lying slumped in a chair, his head resting on the table. Jake carefully stalked over to him, his feet crunching glass with each step.

Blood covered the man’s face, a bullet hole right in the center of his forehead.

“Well, he completed his job. Everyone is dead, and effectively so. Bullet straight in the head, the killer didn’t take his time.” Jake mummers out loud.

The sound of police sirens filled the air, causing Jake to flinch. Jake never flinches from something as mundane as police sirens, so this sudden mass killing must have really shaken him up.

“Do you know where the killer went?” Jake asks as he hurries out of the building and back into the safety of the night.

“No, I do not. This is strange, my child. I do not like this. Rest for the night, so by tomorrow, you will be ready to take down this false knight.”

Shaking the memory away, Jake kept an ear out for any more sudden noises he could investigate.

So far, he was only heard the usual. Screams and a few gunshots.

Nothing as extreme as the chorus of bullets that he had heard that night.

“Do you sense him at all?” Jake asks and turns towards the tall God.

Knosnhu tilts his skeleton head, “No, I’m afraid not. I know everyone under my moon but this new parasite….He is different.”

Jake frowns, “What the Hell does that mean? Like he isn’t human or something?”

Knosnhu grumbles, “I suspect so.”

Jake groans and kicks at a rock, “Great, now we have to deal with some super-powered freak. Those mutants are always a pain in the ass to deal with.”

Knosnhu shakes his head, “No, not something you call a Mutant. It’s something different. Something ancient. You need to gid rid of this disturbance as quickly as possible!”

“Okay, but how can I if I don’t know where he is, hm? Think with your skeleton head or whatever brain you have, Pájaro.”

Knosnhu slams his staff, “I know that, child! I am responsible for this situation as much as you are. You are my knight. Therefore, you are an extension of me. Your failures are my failures.”

Jake rubbed his head, Knosnhu could be so annoying sometimes.

Knosnhu’s head suddenly whipped around, “I hear a scream. Three blocks down. It might be our killer!”

Jake sighed, “Alright, let’s go check it out.”

Chapter Text

"Psycho killer, qu'est-ce que c'est?

Fa, fa, fa, fa, fa, fa, fa, far better

Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away"

- Psycho Killer by Talking Heads

Following the directions Knosnhu was yelling at him, Jake ended up at one of the numerous abandoned buildings in Hell’s Kitchen.

It was a two-story apartment made out of bricks, but the material was now old from use and weather.

Vines curled up the sides of the crumbling brick like some sort of bug.

The windows were all boarded up, and the ones that weren’t were broken, the drapes blowing in the night wind like flags on a ship.

Jake could hear the screams louder, but they sounded muffled, not by the building but from some sort of gag in the victim's mouth. Gliding down from the roof, he slipped into one of the open windows and landed in the apartment’s hallway. The smell of rot and dust tickled his nose.

“Oh, shut up,” A gruff voice snapped from behind a door.

“The one to your left!” Knosnhu boomed, and Jake had to force himself not to snap back with an annoyed answer.

Of course he knew it was coming from that door! He wasn’t that stupid.

With a powerful kick, Jake whipped open the door so hard it came off its hinges.

“Stop right there-” He began but faltered, seeing that the man bound to the chair was alone.

He was an older man, probably in his late fifties, and was bound to a chair with rope. His arms were tied behind his back, his legs tied to the chair, and a washcloth was stuffed in his mouth.

“The parasite is gone,” Knosnhu announced slowly.

Jake wanted to scream. How had he missed the killer?

He was just in here! Jake could hope that the victim was alive, but with one look, he knew that wasn’t true.

He was dead. Jake was too late.

The victim was shirtless, so Jake could see every injury, every slice and cut on his chest.

“Dios mío…” Jake muttered as he went up to the victim, his eyes scanning over the multiple knife wounds carved into the victim's pale skin.

The man’s right eye was bleeding, and Jake almost gagged at the realization that it was due to a knife wound.

“The killer really went to town on him, yeah?” Jake muttered with a shake of his head.

This death, unlike the club shooting, was drawn out. The killer took his time and most likely had fun doing so.

“Two scenarios. One, the killer just wanted to have fun and torture a guy. Two, the victim had some information the killer wanted. Personally, I think it’s option two, but who knows, maybe we have a psycho on our hands,” Jake announced to Khonshu, his voice strained.

“What confuses me is how the killer got away. We just heard him! A guy can’t escape in a couple of seconds. That’s impossible. The window’s boarded up, so he couldn’t have jumped out. This is gonna be a real pain in the ass if the killer’s got teleportation powers or some shit,” Jake growls.

“It is possible. But I believe in you, my child. Even if this killer has powers, he is no match for my knight,” Khonsu stated, his deep voice vibrating off the walls.

Jake waved his hand in annoyance, acting as if his God’s praise didn’t mean anything.

But in reality, it did.

He soaked up Khonshu's praise like a teacher praising a teacher’s pet.

At first, it embarrassed him, but over time he began to accept it, just not out loud, that is.

Jake felt a rush of pride with every compliment, but he never once let it inflate his ego.

He understood why Knosnhu was praising him, he probably did it to his past avatars as well.

Before Marc, of course, because they hated each other.

Shaking his head, Jake went over to the body and rummaged through his pockets, looking for any type of identification. Pulling out a wallet, he found a driver’s license.

“John Becym. Fifty years old. Huh, why does that name ring a bell?”

Knosnhu tilted his head down at the body, “He was a high-ranking politician for New York. How interesting…”

Jake frowned, “A politician? Well shit, this is gonna be all over the news.”

This had escalated quicker than he thought.

At first, the killer was just targeting bikers, people who were low-level criminals that no one gave a shit about.

But now, killing someone as important as a politician? This changes everything.

What is the killer’s goal? When will he stop?

And most importantly, who is he?

Chapter Text

"Oh, you never seem to notice

When I follow you home

In the dark of your apartment

When you think you're alone"

- Mx. Sinister by I Don’t Know How But They Found Me

Romeo enjoyed talking to other people, but after spending so much time alone, it had become much more harder for him to do.

His social skills weren’t what they used to be, so whatever popped into his mind always seemed to come spilling out with no filter.

It reminded him of his friend, Cherry. She had no concept of a filter and said whatever she wanted to without any embarrassment.

Romeo used to be the opposite, he could construct the perfect conversation, make small talk, and even flirt if he wanted to. But now, his conversation skills seemed to be a jumbled and awkward mess.

He wasn’t actually embarrassed by it but rather just annoyed by the whole situation. Why couldn’t he interact with people like before? Have his social skills completely gone away, leaving him an awkward, fidgety disaster?

He knows he’s being judged whenever he strikes up a conversation, but that’s the least of his worries.

Romeo’s just glad he can actually have a normal conversation with someone after so many years of silence.

So, when the short, British man came up to him to ask if he could pet his dog, Romeo agreed.

The man, Steven, had happily petted Bambi with the largest smile Romeo’s ever seen. Seeing this random man look so happy just from petting a stranger’s dog, it had made Romeo’s day.

He had no idea who Steven was, but seeing him sparked a giddy fire in his dead unbeating heart.

But the more Steven talked, the more Romeo grew anxious with his replies. The conversation started on a high note, but the more Romeo talked, the tension in the air became thicker with uncomfortableness.

So, in a quick snap of judgment, Romeo said his goodbyes and rushed out of the pet store’s door.

Now, he was walking down a sidewalk, the white glow of the moon shining down above him.

Bambi trotted along at his side, her black fur coat blending in with the shadows.

Romeo wished he could have stayed and talked with Steven, but the clock was ticking, and he was running out of time.

Romeo turned down a long alleyway and exited out on the other side of town. He continued it a few more times until he came across a more beat-up-looking town.

Houses were boarded up with smashed windows, homeless people sat in shadowed corners begging for money.

Romeo stopped at a two-story apartment building, its brick walls decaying and ravaged with vines.

Opening the loose hinged door, he made his way up the creaking stairs. No one lived here anymore, and if they did, they were usually squatters or drug addicts.

It was the perfect place for what Romeo needed.

Unlocking one of the room doors, he entered and then locked it back up again with a click.

“Good afternoon! How are we feeling? Sorry to leave you for so long. I know it must have been lonely..” Romeo chirped as he greeted the man in the middle of the room, tied to a chair and gagged.

The man grunted, unable to speak against the washcloth stuffed in his mouth.

“Oh, forget, you can’t talk. Sorry,” Romeo sighed and took Bambi off her leash, letting her roam free around the apartment.

She went up to the tied man and sniffed, only to let out a low growl.

“Hush, Bambi. Be polite,” Romeo chided in Greek, shaking his head.

“Now, let’s see if you're in a talkative mood today, hm?”

Romeo went over to the small kitchen counter, a row of knives laid out against the dirty granite.

“Which one should I pick? I’m thinking something smaller, to get into all those small spaces, ya know?” Romeo hummed and picked up a scalpel.

The tied man’s muffled cry filled the room, his head shaking rapidly as a last plea.

“Cry all you want! No one’s gonna hear you.”

It was true, no one was going to hear the man’s cries of pain.

The walls were cracked but thick, and no one except crackheads ever came into the building.

It was the perfect place for Romeo to torture John, the corrupt politician.

Slowly walking towards John, Romeo turned the scalpel back and forth, teasing the bound man.

The trembling politician stared up at his kidnapper, his heart thumping like a caged animal.

All he could do was stare up into the tall man’s deep, black eyes.

They were so dark, almost like the night sky itself was stored in the man’s skull.

It was almost mesmerizing, and John couldn’t look away no matter how hard he tried.

The way the thick, white scar ran down his left eye and corrupted the black like a flash of lightning.

How the man walked like a predator stalking his prey, all lanky and cat-like.

There was a strange feeling in John’s gut, not from the extreme fear but from something else entirely.

It forced him to keep staring at his kidnapper, even though the man taunted a scalpel right in front of his face.

It was like John wasn’t in control of his mind, and with every stare into those inky, black eyes, the more he lost himself to those urges.

It was those eyes. It was those huge black eyes.

Romeo suddenly yanked the washcloth out of John’s mouth, accidentally causing John to bite his tongue.

“Ha! I don’t even need to hurt you, you're already hurting yourself!” Romeo giggled.

Bambi let out a small woof in agreement.

Placing the sharp tip of the scalpel underneath John’s chin, he tilted his head so he was looking right into his eyes.

Those eyes, those Goddamn eyes, thought John with a shudder.

“Now, tell me their names, or I’ll slice your fucking throat."

Chapter Text

"I just feel the need to be getting

A little of you, a lot of blood-letting

I know the sensation you're probably dreading

But cutting you up will be so refreshing for me"

- The Dismemberment Song by Blue Kid

Romeo hissed with so much ferocity that John’s whole body shook in fear.

“I can’t! I-I can’t!” John sobbed, his chest heaving with each breath. Romeo sighed and slapped John across the face.

“Please! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” The politician choked out, his cheek bright red and aching.

“Oh, now your apologizing? How typical,” Romeo barked out with a laugh.

“You didn’t say sorry to any of your victims after you assaulted them, but when you're the one hurt, that’s when the apologies come out.”

Romeo shook his head and clicked his tongue, “What a pathetic man.”

Romeo wanted all the names of John’s victims so he could send each one an anonymous money tip. He knew it wouldn’t solve their trauma, but at least they'll get free money. It was the only thing Romeo could really do, as he couldn’t reverse what John did or heal their broken pieces.

The tall man didn’t do this for fame, he did this to not only help victims but himself. With every corrupt person he killed, a broken piece inside him healed.

Romeo wasn’t afraid to admit that he enjoyed what he did. He loved torturing the abusers, seeing how they wither and sob so helplessly, just like their victims felt.

With every slash and cut, with every burn and tear, Romeo smiled through it all.

It was his own little performance, and he was the conductor this time.

He wasn’t the one being tied up and beaten day after day anymore, he was the one doing it.

Maybe it was selfish for Romeo to hurt these abusers for his own gain and not only to serve justice to the abused.

Romeo laughed, a sad and hollow sound that erupted from deep inside his chest.

Justice, how funny. What was justice if the abused relive their trauma every day?

The abuser could go to jail, yet the one’s they hurt would still suffer. There was no justice even if the superheroes on TV said there was. Plus, New York’s whole police force was corrupt, especially when it came to protecting people in power.

Like with John the politician, all he had to do was pay a couple of thousand dollars to the police, and he didn’t have to go to jail. If his victims started to speak up about him, all he had to do was pay their families to stop.

Or just silence them for good.

An idea popped into Romeo’s head. If John’s crimes have already been hidden away and the public still doesn’t know about them, then why shouldn’t Romeo expose John himself?

Dragging John’s chair in front of the small kitchen bar and placing a couple of stacked books on the table, Romeo placed his phone in front of the items.

“What’s happening? What are you doing?” John cried out, his whole face soaked in sweat and tears.

“It’s your lucky day, John. Your gonna be on TV one last time,” Romeo laughed with a wide, manic smile.

“What does that mean?” John blubbered out, causing the taller man to smirk.

Getting a tea kettle from a cabinet and filling it with water, Romeo lit a fire in his hand and put it underneath the metal pot. The scalpel didn’t seem to work, so Romeo had to try a different form of torture. Instantly, the water in the tea kettle was scorching hot, and Romeo vanished the flames from his hand.

“What are you? You're not human!” John gasped in horror, his puffy eyes widening.

“That’s right, I’m not,” Romeo hummed and grabbed a towel.

“Tilt your face up, please,” Romeo asked, his tone eerily light.

“W-Why?” John whimpered.

Romeo smacked his neck, “Don’t make me ask again.”

John gasped from the slap but slowly moved his head up.

“Good boy” Romeo smiled and placed the towel over John’s whole face.

“What-” John began to ask, his voice muffled by the towel.

“Shut up,” Romeo snapped, his sudden change of tone instantly shutting John up.

“Now, I have a better idea. I was going to give money to your victims, but after thinking about it more, I feel like that would be patronizing. Victims don’t want money, they want to be seen. So, instead, you're going to tell the whole world what you've done. When I say so, you'll speak into that phone over there and admit that your an abuser and how the police covered it all up. Okay? And if you don’t, I’m going to torture you so much, your gonna wish for death.”

John whined in his seat, his whole body shaking.

“No, I can’t! I’ll go to jail! I can’t, please don’t do this to me!”

Romeo sighed and shook his head.

Why does John have to be so difficult?

Instead of replying, Romeo poured the scolding water onto the towel, causing the fabric to soak up the water.

John gagged and tried to move his head, but Romeo held him down, forcing John to swallow the hot water.

John’s muffled sobs filled the apartment, but Romeo kept pouring, enjoying how pathetic the abuser sounded. Right before John was going to drown, Romeo pulled the towel away.

John gasped loudly, his whole chest heaving with each breath. Then he started to cough, his lungs aching. Standing in front of the chair now, Romeo reviewed his handy work. John’s face was bright red, and small patches of skin bubbled up in third-degree burns. Any minute now, his face would start peeling.

“Wanna corporate with me now?” Romeo asked with a smile.

“Please-” John began to wheeze out, but Romeo slapped him hard across the face.

John screamed so loudly that his voice cracked. Pieces of burnt skin peeled off from the force of the slap, causing John’s cheek to be red and raw.

“Ready now? Or do you want another slap?”

John quickly shook his head, “No, please! I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”

Romeo smiled widely, “Good.”

Turning on the phone camera, he stood behind the kitchen bar so he wasn’t in the video. He motioned to John, urging him to start.

“Hello, my name is John Becym, and I’m a politician for the government. Recently, my, uh, crimes have been covered up by the government and police force. I thought I could get away with it, and I did…But now I must pay for my sins. I assaulted numerous women who worked for me. They reported my behavior, but I fired them. I then paid them thousands of dollars not to continue with their report. It worked. People will try to say this isn’t true and that I never did such things but I did. I hurt those girls against their will. I am an abuser. I belong in jail.”

John stopped, his breath heaving. Tears flowed down his face as he continued.

“I’m a corrupt politician, and my fellow government workers supported me. They helped cover it up. There are so many more people like me, I’m not the only one with these allegations. My name is John Becym, and this is my truth.”

Romeo stopped the video, satisfied with John’s confession.

“You've done good, John. I’m truly thankful for your cooperation.” Romeo chuckled and stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

“Now-” Romeo was cut off by Bambi barking.

“What is it, girl?”

A loud bang echoed behind the door, followed by a voice.

“What’s happening?”

“Shut up!” Romeo roared at John, panic starting to rise in his chest.

Any second, the door would bang open, and he’d be caught.

Think, think, think.

Quickly placing all the knives in his bag, he picked up the scalpel and slit John’s throat.

“Let’s get out of here,” Romeo whispered to Bambi.

Within a second, Bambi and Romeo were engulfed in the room's shadows, disappearing into thin air.

Chapter Text

"Yeah, at midnight, all the agents

And superhuman crew

Go out and round up everyone

That knows more than they do"

- Desolation Row by Bob Dylan

Getting up in the morning seemed harder than usual for Marc and Steven. They didn’t have the best sleep schedule, from Steven wanting to stay up and read Egyptian-related books to Marc worrying over every little thing.

But they always got to bed before 10 PM, no matter what. Plus, with Steven having to wake up early for work, getting a good night’s rest was a top priority. So, when Steven slowly sat up from his bed, his back cracking, he knew something was wrong.

It felt like their body was moving through molasses, every little movement aching and slow. Steven could barely keep his eyes open as he shuffled across the floor and into the kitchen. Why was he so tired? Didn’t he get a full eight hours of sleep last night?

“Marc, did you get up in the middle of the night or somethin?”

Marc slowly opened his eyes, his reflection looking back at his alter.

“No, I was fast asleep, just like you. Why?”

Lazily making his tea, Steven grumbles out, “Cause I feel really tired. Like, we were up all night or somethin.”

He yawns loudly and rubs his eyes, trying to get the sleep out. Since Marc wasn’t co-fronting, he couldn’t physically feel the body, but he took Steven’s word for it. Plus, he could easily tell from how he was acting. Steven usually wasn’t this tired in the mornings.

“Maybe our body just needs more sleep?” Marc asked as he watched Steven stare blankly at his steaming tea.

Steven not excitedly drinking his tea? That wasn’t like him at all, Marc thought with a shake of his head.

Steven wanted to express out loud how he had this strange feeling but didn’t know how to put it into words. There was this eerie pull in his stomach as if his own body was trying to tell him that something was wrong. But what would be wrong in his life?

He had Marc, a job he finally enjoyed, and a nice cozy apartment in New York City. It was everything he could hope for. No more working for Khonshu. No more blood on his hands. No more having to fight bad guys and risk getting in danger. And even though Layla was in Egypt, she was only a phone call away.

His life was good, and he was the happiest he’s ever been. So why did he have this bad, sinking feeling in his stomach?

“I jus’ need to splash some cold water on my face,” Steven suddenly announced.

He turned on the sink and scooped up the cold water, letting the chill wash over his skin. Splashing his face several times, he felt slightly more awake, but that aching, bone-deep tiredness still clung to him like a parasite.

“There, all better!” Steven said with false cheeriness.

“You sure? Maybe we can call in sick. Have a rest day,” Marc responded worriedly.

Steven shook his head, “Nah, mate. I’m good. I’m swell.”

Marc signed, not really believing Steven.

“Well. let’s get to work then, yeah?” Steven chirped as they continued their morning routine.

After work, Steven was exhausted. He couldn’t wait to fall down into his comfy bed and sleep. It was Friday, and he had Saturdays off, so he could sleep in as much as he wanted.

The sun was setting between the city’s tall skyscrapers, a beautiful mixture of oranges, reds, and pink. It was like a painting, and as Steven walked through the busy streets, he felt a blanket of calm wash over him. With the slight chill in the air and the leaves starting to change colors, it reminded him of a picture. Rubbing his eye, Steven had only a couple more blocks to go until he could fall into his bed.

“Can’t wait to sleep-” Steven started to say but stopped, the sound of the News Channel catching his attention.

He stood in front of an appliance store, their display cases full of TV screens. One was on and turned on the News. Usually, this wouldn’t have made him stop, but with last week's report about the shoot-out in Hell’s Kitchen, he was curious to see if there were any updates.

“Steven, let’s go home,” Marc groaned.

“Shush,” Steven whispered back, his eyes glued to the screen.

The same New’s Reporters as last time came on, their faces carrying the same grim expression.

“Good Afternoon, folks, we would report on how wonderful the weather is today, but sadly, we have something more shocking to report. Just last night, the well-known, beloved politician John Becym was tragically murdered. We were told that he was most likely kidnapped from his home and then brought to a more quiet location to be…”

The woman reporter took a deep breath, “To be tortured.” Steven’s eyes widened, and suddenly felt very awake.

“That’s terrible! Who would do this to such a great man?” The male reporter asked.

“The thing is, Bryan, he wasn’t the great man that we all thought he was. This morning, someone dropped off a flash drive, not at the police station but here, at the news station. We called the police, of course, as we were scared of what was on it. And we were right to be scared. It was video, a very disturbing video of John Becym’s final moments. He is shown tied up and bloody, his eyes most likely looking at someone behind the camera. And he confesses all the terrible stuff that was covered by the government and police department. How terrible is that?” The woman reporter responds, her voice shaking.

“We all thought he was a wonderful person, but I guess you can never really know, huh?” Bryan sighs to the other reporter.

“We are going to show the blurred version of the video. Please be warned it’s very disturbing, and the things he says can be triggering to some viewers. So be cautious.”

The world around Steven seemed to stop, his only focus on the small TV screen. There was a crowd forming next to him, their eyes trained on all the same thing and hungry for more information. “Steven, forget about this. Let’s go home,” Marc’s somber voice echoed throughout Steven’s head.

He couldn’t step away, whether due to morbid curiosity or not, Steven was hooked on knowing what came next. The video popped up on the screen, its contents hard to see at first.

The room was dark, and the large blur in the chair indicated that the politician was sitting there. He began to speak, the man’s voice shaking with each word. Even though the politician's face was blurred, Steven could imagine red puffy eyes and tears streaming down the man’s face.

“Come on, Steven. You don’t need to hear this,” Marc urged, his tone becoming more pleading.

The video continued as John Becym described the terrible things he’s done and how the government hid it all away, allowing this man to get away with these horrible crimes. How there were more women he’d hurt, and when they tried to speak out, they were silenced.

Before Steven could realize it, a single tear slid down his cheek. He didn’t even know he was crying. Wiping the tear away, his vision blurred as more tears swelled in his eyes. Finally, the man confessed that there were other higher-ups who had down the same crime but had gotten away with it as well. Finally, the video ended after what felt like ages.

“Steven, let’s go home….Please,” Marc’s voice was quiet, barely a whisper in Steven’s mind.

He took a shaky breath, trying to clear his rushing thoughts. I can’t let this video make me spiral. I have to focus on where I am right now, Steven thought. Feeling the cold bite of the Autumn air, Steven shook his head and cleared his mind.

Another killing in New York and in Hell’s Kitchen too? Was this the work of the same killer who’d killed all those biker men? But this was drastically different from the last killing. There seemed to be no pattern at all.

“I wonder if this is the same killer from Hell’s Kitchen?” Steven wondered out loud, mostly to Marc.

“I’m betting it is. No one else is killing this big in Hell’s Kitchen,” A man next to Steven commented.

A woman scoffed, “But this is so different from the shooting. Why would he just go after one person this time?”

Steven shuffled on his feet, uncomfortable over his newfound attention.

“I don’t care if it’s the same guy. John Becym deserved this. This killer gave him what he finally deserved!” Another person argued with a shake of his hand.

“But he still killed someone! John should have gone to jail for his crimes!” The woman argued back.

“The government pushed it all under thing rug. John wasn’t ever going to jail” Marc’s Chicago accent suddenly filled the air, his voice rough.

Steven was getting overwhelmed, so a switch happened, causing Marc to be the one fronting now.

“But isn't that…Illegal?” Someone asked.

Marc laughed, a short and aggressive sound, “Not if it’s the government.”

The crowd erupted in conversation, and when a heated argument started to happen, Marc decided it was finally time to leave and go home.

Chapter Text

"Something happens and I'm head over heels

I never find out 'til I'm head over heels

Something happens and I'm head over heels

Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart"

- Head over Heels by Tears for Fears

It was a Sunday afternoon, the sun was shining, and the sky was a light blue above Steven as he walked to the cafe he’d been reading about. It’s supposedly the best vegan cafe in Queens, and Steven was ecstatic to find out if that was true. Even though he didn’t approve of Marc eating meat, he had to remember he wasn’t the only one in this body.

Steven cringes when he thinks about Marc eating meat but doesn’t try to let it come between them too much. So, when Steven strides into the small cafe, the door ringing closed behind him, he smiles.

The walls were painted a soothing orange color, and the top and bottom trim a dark red. Booths and tables lined the walls, and a large counter sits in the right corner. The savory smells of paprika and cardamom waft from the freshly baked savory goods, as the sweet smells of cinnamon and sugar come from the deserts. Behind all those mixing smells, the deep notes of freshly roasted coffee beans can be found. It was perfect.

“Ya like the place?” Marc echoes in Steven’s mind, his tone warm.

Steven nods his head eagerly, “Of course! This is like a dream, a vegan cafe? Totally bonkers!”

Some people turn to stare at Steven, their eyebrows raised as it looks like he’s talking to himself. But he was prepared this time. He wore earbuds to make it seem like he was talking to someone on the other side. Steven tapped his ear and mouthed, “I’m on a call.” The tension in the people relaxed, and they turned away, going back to what they were doing before.

Steven realized that when he talks to himself in public, it usually makes people uncomfortable. They see him as some sort of threat, like he’s a crazy person that could snap at any second. It’s a sad reality that he and Marc have to live through, but it’s better than being alone.

Steven was glad to have Marc, no matter how strange it was sometimes to have someone else talking in his head. Steven got in line and eyed the numerous pastries in the display cases.

“Which one should I get?” Steven asked Marc.

His head mate mentally shrugged, “Whatever you want, just don’t make it to expensive.”

Steven decided on a flaky, savory pastry roll with vegan meat and a tart with sweet apples. Taking his food, he goes to sit down at the unoccupied table in the corner but stops midway, his eyes raising in surprise.

Romeo, the man he had met at the pet store a week ago, was sitting at a table, a coffee in his hand.

Marc groaned, “Not this again. Just go sit down and eat your vegan stuff, okay?”

Romeo’s thin frame leaned against the seat, his one arm relaxed across the back of the chair. It was almost comical how big he looked in the chair. His long legs stretched awkwardly underneath the table as the back of the chair barely reached his head.

Steven remembered how tall the man had been, a staggering 6’5 or taller. The same pair of black sunglasses rested on Romeo’s face, making the sharp edges of his face structure more prominent and giving him an almost elegant look.

“Steven, your staring,” Marc said, snapping Steven out of his thoughts.

With an embarrassed blush, Steven took his own seat. Their tables were across from each other, so Steven had a perfect view of Romeo. The taller man’s thin fingers drummed across the top of the table, his black nail polish chipped.

“Just eat your damn pastries,” Marc snapped with an annoyed sigh.

“Sorry, sorry,” Steven whispered back and took his food out of the bag.

Even though Steven’s excitement was all about the vegan food in front of him, he still felt the pull to take a peek at Romeo. There was something interesting about the man that Steven couldn’t put hsi finger on. He was almost alluring, like a siren’s call. Steven needed to know more about this man. Taking a quick glance again at Romeo, this time both of their eyes met. Embarrassed he’s been caught, Steven quickly turned his head, his face turning bright red.

“Real smooth Steven. He totally didn’t notice how you've been staring at him for the past five minutes” Marc said sarcastically.

In one quick motion, Romeo got up from his own table and slid into the seat across from Steven.

“Uh-” Steven started, unsure of what Romeo was going to say.

Was he mad at him for staring? Or creeped out?

“I didn’t mean to stare, I just noticed you were the bloke from the pet store” Steven spluttered out.

Romeo’s full lips curved into a smile, “It’s alright. I recognized you too but didn’t know if I should say hi or not. But then I was like, why the Hell not? And now I’m here!”

He perched his chin over his clasped hands and leaned forward, “If it’s alright with you, of course? That I can sit here?”

Steven nodded, probably too aggressively, “Yeah, yeah, it’s totally fine! I’m glad you came over, I probably wouldn’t have done it myself, ha ha..”

Marc sighed, already wanting this interaction to be over.

“Not that social?” Romeo asked bluntly with a tilt of his head.

Steven blinked, not expecting his question. “Is it that obvious? Yeah, I’m not much to, uh, socialize and stuff..”

Romeo shrugged, “That’s alright, everyone has different social batteries. I mean, if I was younger, I definitely wouldn’t have had the balls to come over here, ya know? Really awkward back then, believe it or not.”

Steven chuckled, “Really? You seem like you’ve always been this, uh, outgoing? Is that the word, ha. Can’t imagine you shy, is what I mean.”

Romeo gestured with his hand, “You flatter me, Steven. Trust me, I was a totally different person just a couple years ago. But now, I can be my true self, like how I talked about back at the pet store.”

Steven tilted his head, he wondered what had happened to have Romeo change so drastically. Was it a bad experience or a good one? And how was the old Romeo like, would Steven like him as well?

“Yeah, I remember the conversation. Very eye-opening! I liked talking to you about that kinda stuff” Steven rushed out, his words mumbling.

“You seem like a very smart person, Romeo. I mean, I know some random facts and can almost read Egyptian hieroglyphics, but you seem like you know what you're doing in life, ya know?”

Romeo unfolded his hands and leaned back against the chair, “Egyptian hieroglyphics? Really?”

Steven nodded eagerly, “Yeah! I love ancient Egyptian history, especially learning about all the different mythologies and Gods and goddesses! That’s why I work as a tour guide at the Egyptian History Museum, I’m like a walking dictionary on all ancient Egyptian stuff. Or that’s what Marc-, I mean, my friend calls me..”

Steven scratched the back of his neck, “Sorry, I’m rambling again..”

Gods, why do I have to be so awkward all the time Steven thought with a frown. Why couldn’t he be like Marc, with his cool style and smooth talking? He wasn’t awkward at all when it came to socializing, he even has a wife for God’s sake! And here he is, sitting awkwardly across a guy that he creepily staring at from across the room, wishing he could strike up a conversation. And now that Romeo had the guts to actually do that, Steven didn’t know what to do with himself. He was rambling and blushing, the complete opposite of how he wanted to be. How could Romeo sit and talk with him?

“You don’t have to keep apologizing, Steven. I like the rambling, I find it cute when someone is that passionate about something. How did you get into ancient Egyptian history anyway?” Romeo responded, his tone genuinely interested.

Steven paused, unsure of how to continue. How did Steven get into Egyptian history? Well, he can’t just tell Romeo that his alter, someone who he didn’t even know existed, was the avatar for the Egyptian God of the moon. And how he and Marc had to fight the cult of Ammit, which eventually led them to die and get their heart judged by Taweret, the Goddess of Fertility.

“Uh, well, I’ve actually traveled to Egypt with my friend to visit her family. And I guess that sparked an interest in Egyptian culture, and then I went down the rabbit hole of Ancient Egyptian Mythology, and now it’s something I’m really passionate about,” Steven decided to say.

Romeo nodded, “I’ve never been to Egypt, was it fun?”

Steven tried not to cringe at Romeo’s question. The beautiful scenery and architecture were amazing but the whole thing with the tomb and dying, not so much.

“It was amazing, the scenery was beautiful, and don’t even get me started on the pyramids! They were huge in person and the way they were built…It’s all so bloody cool!” Steven grinned, his hands gesturing as he talked.

“Well, I might have to visit one day,” Romeo said with a small smile.

“Anyway, where do you work? I know I already said I worked at the Egyptian History Museum in Queens but what do you do for a living?” Steven asked.

“I’m a bartender but I feel like that’s not surprising” Romeo chuckles and gestures to himself.

He was dressed in a tight, black turtle neck and dark suit pants. His dark red ruby necklace was like a shining beacon over his shirt's black fabric. To match, he wore red rings on both fingers, each one with a dark-colored jewel. Steven blushed, Romeo looked like some sort of bloody supermodel.

“I was thinking more like some sort of model” Steven blurted out, his thoughts spilling out of his mouth. Instantly, he covered his mouth with his hand, his whole face going red.

“I mean, with how stylish you are, ya know? But I can see you being a bartender, definitely. Ha Ha..”

Romeo’s cheeks tinted a slight red, “A model, eh? I don’t think I can do all those cool poses but I can be pretty flexible when I want to...”

Steven’s eyes grew wide, the room suddenly getting hot. Oh God’s, how was he supposed to respond to that? The way Romeo’s voice turned velvety deep, his head tilted slightly causing his fluffy hair to ruffle in a way that made Steven’s heart flutter. Clearing his throat, Steven decided to stray the conversation away from what just happened.

“Where do you bartend, if I may ask? I don’t really go to bars, so I probably won’t know it.”

That was true, Steven wasn’t really a fan of bars, especially the loud and crowded kind. The thought of all those packed bodies and the sickly smell of alcohol made Steven’s stomach churn.

“It’s actually down in Hell’s Kitchen, called Hell Fire? I know, kinda on the nose. But it’s probably the safest bar in Hell’s Kitchen, so don’t let the name fool you.”

“Hell’s Kitchen? Yeah, I don’t really visit there often. Especially after hearing about the shooting..” Steven trailed off, the images of all those dead bikers filling his mind.

He didn’t want to judge Romeo but who would want to work in a place where a massive shooting just happened?

He’s tall and probably can take a punch but with so many criminals, how can he work so late at night?

“I’ve lived in worse conditions. A little murder now and then doesn’t scare me” Romeo said, his voice relaxed and unbothered as if he was commenting on the weather.

His response causes Steven to let out a shocked laugh, “Sure, alright. What ever you say mate.”

Romeo cleared his throat, “Since it’s the second time meeting and probably not the last, wanna swap numbers?”

Steven smiled and shook his head eagerly, “yeah! That sounds good.”

Romeo swiped a napkin and wrote his number down, “Here, text whenever you like.”

Steven nodded and put the napkin in his pocket, “Aces, thanks!”

Romeo seemed to pause, looking like he was going to say something but stopped himself.

“What is it?” Steven asked curiously.

“Oh, there’s this little festival next weekend, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted to come or not. With me.”

A festival? Steven smiled at the thought of going to one with Romeo and spending more time with him.

“Sure, that actually sounds great.”

Romeo chuckled, “Good. I look forward to more of these little conversations.”

Chapter Text

"There's a place in the dark where the animals go

You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow

Juliet loves the beat and the lust it commands

Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo"

- The Sharpest Lives by My Chemical Romance

The white-haired, balding man was tied to a metal chair in the center of the room. His binds were made out of thick metal chains, each rope tied around each arm and leg. The room’s walls were a similar, dark rusty color as the metal, and the floor was a gray concrete.

Since there were no windows, the only light came from the above florescent lights, illuminating the small room in an unnatural yellow glow. The man groaned, his voice muffled by a gag. “Shut up, I’m trying to think,” Romeo snapped, his fingers tracing over an array of utensils that were laid out on a table.

Numerous knives and medical equipment laid in a neat row and Romeo was trying to decide which one to use. “So many options, but I’m thinking of trying something new today,” Romeo hummed and rummaged through the boxes underneath the table.

“Ah, this is the one” He smiled and twirled the nail gun in his hand. Bambi barked and nudged Romeo’s leg, “Nice, isn’t it? We just need the nails.”

The older man in the chair screamed and wiggled around in his binds. “No one can hear you scream, ya know. And if you get too rowdy, I can just cut out your vocal cords!” Romeo laughed and pointed the nail gun at the terrified man.

The metal chair moved as the man tried to break through, the metal legs scraping against the floor. “Now, now, let’s not fall over” Romeo chided, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing hard.

“Stay here while I find the nails, yeah?” The younger man rummaged through a few more boxes until he found what he was looking for, a container full of rusted nails.

Placing five nails in the gun, he walked back over to his victim, standing in front of the chair. “Now, your going to talk or I’m going to shoot. Okay? Simple as that” Romeo said as he ripped off the man’s gag, the sound of duct tape ripping filling the quiet room.

As soon as the man opened his mouth to scream, Romeo slapped him. “I’d rather not have you scream, Brian.” Romeo sighed with a shake of his head.

“How do you know my name?” The older man choked out.

“I know everything about you, Mr. Miller. You're the head chief of The New York Police Force. In fact, you just got promoted last week. Congrats, how lucky for you. Your wife must be so happy for you. She must love the man you've become, well if we push past the fact that you beat her.” Romeo clicked his tongue.

“W-what are you talking about?” Brian stuttered, his whole body shaking.

“Don’t act stupid, Mr. Miller. Those bruises on her face don’t randomly appear, do they? You beat her because you feel like your mother failed you as a child. So that’s why you take your anger out on not only your wife but every woman in your life. The women police officers that you work with, the waitress at that cafe you visit every Sunday. Even your past girlfriends, you've all treated them like shit.”

The nail gun’s cold metal skimmed across Brian’s temple, “And now, you're going to pay for your sins.”

Brian jolted forward, causing the chair to tip. Romeo grabbed the back of the chair and roughly brought it back down, causing Brian to jump.

“What are you? The Devil?” Brian whispered, his eyes following the nail gun as it pressed against the side of his cheek. Romeo smiled wide, his black eyes shining like obsidian in the yellow light.

“Oh, I’m much, much worse.”

With a click, the nail gut went off. Brian screamed as a four-inch nail tore through his cheek. He could taste the tip of the nail with his tongue and the fresh blood filling his mouth.

“Your death is going to be long and very painful. Instead of the quick force of a bullet, these rusted nails will implant themselves in your flesh like bugs feasting on your insides. They’ll live in your stomach, brain, and” Romeo tapped Brian’s cheek, “Mouth.”

Brian groaned and hung his head low, “Just kill me, please.”

Romeo sighed, “That’s what they all say. Just kill me. Just end my misery! It’s funny, you never stopped when your victims pleaded, so why should I?”

Romeo clicked the gun again and a nail tore through the meat on Brian’s cheek, slicing straight through and landing in his other cheek.

“Ah!” Brian screamed with a sob, his whole chest heaving.

“I quite like this nail gun! Never used it before, such a pity” Romeo exclaimed, his eyes hungrily watching Brian wither in pain.

Bambi trotted up next to the chair and snarled at Brian, showing her long, sharp fang-like teeth. “Oh hush, you'll get your turn” Romeo muttered and patted his dog on the head.

“You're insane! Your crazy!” Brian yelled, his heart racing at the sight of the big dog.

“Oh and I didn’t forget your fear of dogs, Brian. It’s gonna be fun watching her rip you apart. All alive, of course. It’s better when your alive.”

As Romeo continued to taunt his helpless victim, Jake Lockley leaped across building after building, following a location his God directed him to.

The serial killer he’s been trying to hunt down for three weeks now was somewhere in Hell’s Kitchen and luckily, Khonshu found his sent this time. It was so light that Khonshu didn’t know the exact location but strong enough that he knew it was somewhere in down town Hell’s Kitchen.

So. Jake searched every abandoned building and rooftop in the hopes of catching his killer, the thought of finally bringing justice keeping him quick on his feet. “Be real easier if we had an exact location” Jake grunted out as he sailed across the night sky.

“The killer can somehow block my abilities. It is rare but not unheard of. He must be using some sort of ancient magic, something so powerful that it can shield him from God’s.” Khonshu boomed out, his large silhouette following Lockley like a shadow.

“How nice. Can’t wait to meet him” Jake replied sarcastically.

Khonshu's head suddenly whipped to his right, “I hear a scream, coming from that building over there!” He pointed his long staff across from him, signaling out an abandoned warehouse.

“Let’s go get this bastard,” Jake snarled and leaped from the roof of a building, landing quietly on the road. He raced towards the entrance of the warehouse and easily burst through the iron doors. He had to be quick this time, as who knows when he’ll have this opportunity again.

With as much quietness he can muster, the fist of Khonshu crept though the long hallways, his ears straining for any sort of noise. A loud scream rang out from the top floor. In one swift motion, Jake ran up the stairs and bolted towards the door where the sound was coming behind.

“Be quiet. My son. This killer has keen ears” Khonshu growled, reminding him of the last time he tried to catch this killer.

One wrong step or one sudden noise alerted the killer, leaving Jake empty handed. But this time he knows what to expect. If he gets in the room in time, he can prevent the killer from teleporting like last time, or however the hell he got away. Even if he does disappear, Jake has a good chance that he’ll at least see what the killer looks like. Taking a deep breath, Jake knocks down the door. An older man, somewhere in his late fifties is tied to a metal chair, just like how he found the victim last time.

“He is gone,” Khonshu roars and slams his staff down, the harsh sound echoing off the old walls of the warehouse.

“Please, help me!” The man in the chair cries, his words coming out muffled and slurred, as if he had something in his mouth.

He’s alive. The victim is alive! Marching over to the man, Jake leans down and checks for wounds. The killer must have just started because there weren’t as many cuts as last time, the only sign of blood being from the man’s face. Jake saw two, small holes in the man’s left cheek, each one leaving a black mark.

“What the Hell..?” Jake muttered as he hesitantly touched the bloodied cheek. In the corner of his eye, he spotted a black object lying on the floor, obviously quickly discarded in the killer’s quick get away.

It was a gun. No, it was something similar to one. He picked up the gun and saw that instead of bullets, it held nails.

The victim had been shot twice with a nail gun. In the cheek. “Oh querido Dios..” Jake swallowed the bile rising in his throat.

That’s why the victim couldn’t speak, his mouth must be filled with nails. “Hold on, I’m gonna call the police” Jake explains as gets out his burner phone and dials 911. “The Hell’s Kitchen Killer has struck again. This one’s alive. He seems to be in some sort of abandoned warehouse in Hell’s Kitchen,”

And with that, Jake ends the phone call. “At least now we might have a description, yeah?” Jake prompted Khonshu with a weary smile.

“Yes, a description will help” The Moon God boomed back, still angry at not catching him.

The Fist of Khonshu swiftly leaped out of a near by window and tried to get as far away from the warehouse as he could before the police came.

“We were so close, my child. The killer is quick but not quick enough. He must not have anticipated having one of his victims alive.”

Jake nodded, “But that means he probably wants to finish the job. So, we need to get this guy surrounded by security 24/7.”

Even though the killer got away again, Jake had a better chance of catching this guy. Now he just had to wait and see how that’ll all play out.

He will make his God proud, no matter how many obstacles block his path of righteousness.

Chapter Text

"My head is filled with parasites

Black holes cover up my eyes

I dream of you almost every night

Hopefully I won't wake up this time"

- Freak by Surf Curse

Romeo was pissed off but not surprised.

He knew one of these days one of those so called “superheroes” would try and go after him, fulfilling some self righteous code that all the heroes abide by. Seeing Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, fly around in his billion dollar mechanical suit, stopping crime, only to go back to the comfort of his huge mansion, not caring about the damages he left behind created a bad taste in Romeo’s mouth. Tony Stark was born rich and grew up rich, profiting off of his dad’s weapon company that killed hundreds in first world countries.

But now, all a sudden, after getting kidnapped for three months, Tony Stark had a change of heart and decided to leave his dad’s company and become the one and only Iron Man.

Romeo could get how someone’s perspective could change after something like that but the way Stark went around all smug and flashy, using his super hero privileges as an excuse to be an asshole. That goes for Captain America as well, the good little soldier forever stuck in the 1940’s.

He isn’t surprised that Stark or Mr. America wasn’t the one to try to catch him, they didn’t care about a few murders by some killer in Hell’s Kitchen. Plus, it was Hell’s Kitchen, so why did it matter to them? Murders happened all the time here, so why did one more care?

That was for the police to take care of, not some flashy superhero.

Tony didn’t want to get his paws on somewhere as gritty as Hell’s Kitchen. But what surprised Romeo was it was some new, underground superhero that was tracking him down.

All dressed up in white rags like some mummy, they had always seemed to know where Romeo was going.

Like the first guy, John, if Bambi hadn’t alerted Romeo in time, the mummy would have caught him red handed.

And just yesterday, his second kidnapping with Brian, Romeo didn’t even have time to kill the guy before the superhero broke down the door.

How the Hell were they finding Romeo so quickly? This mummy guy messed up his plans big time, Romeo wasn’t planning on having any live victims.

Gods, now he had to sneak into the hospital and finish the job. It had to be quick or his whole cover will be blown.

This wasn’t good at all. Plus, he invited Steven to some arts and crafts festival this Saturday, so he definitely couldn’t miss that. And with work so late at night

….Ugh, Romeo was not having a good time. Groaning as he sat in in front of his vanity, getting ready for work, his burner phone beeped. He flipped it open and saw he had a new text from Steven.

A small smile crept onto Romeo’s lips.

Steven: Hi! Can’t wait for the festival this Saturday! Is there like a dresscode or?? Idk I think I may be just overthinking this haha!
Romeo chuckled at Steven’s awkward yet endearing text.

Romeo: No, there’s no dresscode. No worries! Just dress how ever you want :)

Steven: Oh okay! Thx mate :)

With a shake of his head and a smile, Romeo clicked the phone off and continued doing his makeup. It was 5:30, and work started at 6, so he had only about 30 minutes more to look presentable.

He knew Arabella, the owner of the bar, didn’t care what he looked like, but Romeo wasn’t to at least look nice.

And that was hard to do these days, with all his scars and burns…

Clearing his throat, Romeo drew on black eyeliner and put on red eyeshadow to match. With one last final touch, he covered his eye scar with red paint, making it seem like it was all part of his costume and not some nasty scar tissue.

Putting on his sunglasses, he grabbed his car keys and locked the apartment door behind him. He didn’t need to wear the sunglasses at the bar, as people didn’t seem to care about how messed up his eye was, but the familiar feel of the glasses comforted him.

Bambi trotted along next to him, mouth open and tongue out, looking excitedly at her owner. Even though the bar didn’t allow dogs, Arabella allowed it for Romeo. Over the two months he had been working there, Bambi had become sort of like the bar’s mascot.

Getting into his red convertible, which he definitely didn’t steal, by the way, roared to life as he started his drive to work.

Gods, he had to think of a plan to kill Brian or else his description would be leaked.

And he wasn’t the most unnoticeable person either. How many 6’8, black eyed guys were there?

Parking and getting out of his car, Romeo strolled up to to Hell Fire, his mind so busy with racing thoughts that he didn’t hear May calling his name.

“Romeo, were you even listening to me?” She sighed with a hand on her hip.

She was the password person, the one you had to go through to actually get into the bar. Before going down the stairs, you had to tell her a password or you weren’t getting in. But of course, since Romeo worked here, he didn’t need to give her one.

“Yes, yes, sorry, lost in thought” Romeo responded with a flinch.

She crossed her arms, “Doesn’t sound like you, must be really important huh?”

He laughed, “You have no idea..”

May was wearing her usual black long sleeved, turtle necked dress. It looked nice against her deep brown skin and highlighted her dark red high heels.

“So, can I go in?” Romeo asked, a hint of humor in his voice.

“I guess so or ya know, Arabella will get annoyed. And you know how she gets..”

Romeo nodded, said bye to May and walked down the stairs.

It wasn’t a long staircase and he enjoyed the way the numerous, bright fairy lights that decorated the walls made him feel as if he were entering some sort of portal. The stairs abruptly ended in front of the official doorway to the club and instead of a door, the entrance was covered in an array of hanging beads.

Going through the beads, the familiar noise and smell of the bar instantly hit Romeo. The sweet, sticky smell of cheep beer mixed in with the more expensive liquor. The undertones of sweat and dust. The way up beat, loud club music seemed to fill every inch and corner of the bar, making Romeo’s ears ring. He could barley hear any of the conversations but a word here and there would pop up above the music.

There wasn’t a lot of people compared to most club bars, it wasn’t shoulder to shoulder with sweaty bodies. But rather, a classy, table and chair filled room with a long liquor bar and a stage. The wooden stage was at the far end of the room, a lone piano sitting in the corner, collecting dust.

Oh, how Romeo wanted to jump up on that stage and play the piano. It probably hadn’t been used in years, just waiting for it’s keys to be cleaned of it’s dust and played once again. He shook his head, he wasn’t hear to play piano, he was here to serve drinks. Smiling as the customers noticed his arrival, he was well known by loyal customers, mainly based on the fact he had a dog but for his strange eyes as well.

“Hey Ro” June greeted as Romeo got behind the counter.

June was May’s twin sister and worked the counter with Romeo. Even though she looked just like her sister, her personality was completely different. And the fact she had wings.

They fluttered behind her in a beautiful display of red and black. Romeo would never admit but he envied June’s wings. The way they glittered under the bar’s lights like stars, how they seemed to be woven out of silk, so dainty yet powerful. Wearing a short, tight red dress, June was the epitome of beauty.

“Let’s get to work, yeah? Before Arabella comes out and yells at the both of us,” June sighed as she cleaned a cup.

Romeo rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah.”

Taking his sunglasses off and hooking them in his pocket, Romeo got to work with setting up the liquor. He smiled as he looked across the room and saw Bambi peacefully curled up on the stage. Having his dog here did seem to help ease off Romeo’s anxiety.

The mundane task of mixing and serving drinks blurred his mind, causing his thoughts to shift onto the Brian situation.

God’s, he really had to think of a plan, or he was totally screwed.

“Romeo?” June snapped her fingers suddenly, causing Romeo to nearly drop his drink.

“Ah- what?”

“Look, I honestly don’t care but your drifting again. Your mind is on something else and it’s affecting your job. Your slower than usual” June explained and gave Romeo a judgy look.

With a grimace, the grip on the cup he was holding tightened. “How it must be bad if you noticed it…” He joked but June gave him a scowl.

“Alright, just a lot going on, ya know? I got a situation I need to take care of before it gets too worse. I gotta come up with a plan but I don’t have a lot of time” Romeo muttered out with a shrug.

“Do I even know what it is or is another one of those secret’s that you try to desperately to hide” June asked back and leaned against the counter.

“It’s a secret because if I told you, it would get someone hurt. And I don’t wanna do that…Not again” Romeo mumbled out, the conversation getting a little to real for his liking.

The image of him flashed in Romeo’s mind and all those memories that were tucked away come rushing back.

God’s, not him. Anyone else but him.

“Romeo, are you okay? You look a little pale” June questioned, her expression genuinely worried.

“Yeah, yeah. Just need some fresh air..” He mumbled out, barely getting the words out before he dashed out of the bar and through the back door.

The back door of the bar opened into a small garden, a place where people could get away from all the noise. And that was just what Romeo needed, a place to quiet his rushing thoughts. Another image popped into his mind and Romeo sank down onto the grass, his whole body trembling.

No. No. No.

He can’t think of him.

He can’t think of…Ness.

His husband, the love of his life who ended up getting killed all because of Romeo.

It was so long ago yet it feels like just yesterday he held Ness’s lifeless body in his arms, screaming up into the sky and asking why his life was an endless cycle of misery.

A sob echoed in Romeo’s throat, threatening to escape. He clamped his hand over his mouth and took deep, shaking breaths.

He can’t do this now. He can’t do this here.

“It’s all your fault, Romeo. You deserve this pain and suffering” A deep, haunting voice whispered in Romeo’s ear.

“You're a monster and you kill everyone you love. You don’t deserve happiness” The voice growled again, shaking Romeo’s entire soul and body.

“I know..I know..” Romeo whispered back even though no one else was there.

It was all in his head. And he deserved every whisper, every threat, every insult that the voice told him.

He was a monster, and nothing can change that.

Chapter Text

"(We can be like they are) Come on, baby

(Don't fear the reaper) Baby, take my hand

(Don't fear the reaper) We'll be able to fly

(Don't fear the reaper) Baby, I'm your man"

- Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult 

It was a late Wednesday night, and Steven had just come back from work, a long day of giving tours and making sure every Egyptian artifact was in its right place.

It was fun but exhausting, but Steven wouldn’t trade it for any other job. He was finally happy with not only his job but his life.

After going through all that suffering with Harrow’s cult and being a slave to Khonsu, Steven was finally free to do what he wanted. He knew Marc existed, and they worked out a system that could benefit both of them, so there wasn’t any more anger or confusion when it came to his disorder.

Both his and Marc’s life was good, even after everything they’ve experienced.

Steven sat on the couch, lazily going through different TV channels. After seeing how John, a victim of the Hell’s Kitchen serial killer, turned up tortured and dead, even though he deserved it, Marc was wary of letting Steven watch the news.

He wasn’t a stranger to death and violence, but knowing that something like that was only a 30-minute drive away made Steven uncomfortable.

His new life after Khonsu was supposed to be better. It was supposed to be free of violence and bloody fights. Steven never wanted to have to kill someone ever again, let alone be so close to someone doing the killing because it reminded him of all the violence he did.

He had to choose, it was either kill or be killed. But the killer, now nicknamed “The Grim Reaper” by the media, was sooner or later going to be caught by the police, and all of this will go away.

Shaking his head from all these thoughts, Steven reminded himself that he had better things to worry about. Like, what he was going to wear to the festival this Saturday, the one Romeo invited him to.

It was only Wednesday but Steven couldn’t help but worry about how the evening might go. He’s never been to a festival, whether it be an arts and crafts festival or a Renaissance faire. His life before Marc was pretty boring, he never went to any big events or even socialized with people his age.

So, with Romeo, a person his age, asking him to go to a fair this Saturday, it made Steven feel excited yet scared at the same time.

“Ugh, you aren’t worrying about your outfit again, are you?” Marc sighed in Steven’s mind, mentally shaking his head.

Steven blushed, “No, no! Of course not…Okay, maybe.”

Marc rolled his eyes, “Steven, it’s only Wednesday. You have two more days. It’s only an outfit…What’s the problem? What are you so worried about, I’ve never seen you this worked up about something. Well that isn’t true, but not about something like an outfit…”

Steven fidgeted with the sleeves of his sweater, not knowing how to respond. The mundane noise of TV became static in the background, his racing thoughts blurring out any other sound.

“Listen, if it were up to me, I wouldn’t let you go. You barely know the guy, for God’s sake! You've only talked to him in person twice! Twice, Steven! Sure, you shared a couple of deep conversations but you're still just acquaintances. What happens if Romeo has ulterior motives, huh? We don’t have the super strength of Khonsu anymore and I don’t know what would happen if things went south…” Marc rambled, his words quick and filled with genuine fear.

Steven scoffed, “Marc, he’s not going to hurt me! Is this what this is all about? I know you don’t like Romeo for some weird reason but is this all because I might become friends with him? What, scared I’ll forget about you?” Steven didn’t mean to be so harsh, but his words came out like venom.

Steven instantly flinched, “Marc..I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that..”

Marc’s presence in Steven’s mind faltered. He knew his words had hit too deep and Marc was recoiling back deep in their head space.

“Please, Marc. I’m sorry. I-I feel the same way, ya know? I’m scared you'll meet someone and push me out. I know I can be a nuisance sometimes and I know you never wanted me to exist in the first place, but I care about you, Marc. You're like a brother to me..”

Steven was on the verge of crying, his throat thick with emotion, his words trembling. He knew Marc needed time to answer, so he sat there on the couch, waiting patiently as the sound of TV filled the silence.

“Steven, I know you didn’t mean what you said. I…” Marc sighed, “I’m just scared, okay? I’ve never really had anyone else but Layla and when you came along, well I was scared. I felt like I would let you down just like everyone else in my life. And if you want to make a friend, a person who you might come to care about, I just don’t want you to get hurt when something bad happens. Cause bad stuff always happens to us…”

Marc let out a shaky breath, his eyes puffy and filled with tears.

“Oh, Marc. Your makin me bloody cry” Steven chuckled softly.

He wiped his eyes, “Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise you. Khonsu doesn’t control your life anymore. You don’t have to be the strong, ruthless mercenary. We’re free, Marc. We're finally free and making a friend isn’t going to change that.”

His head mate sniffled, letting Steven’s words rush over him. It was true, he was worried Khonsu was somehow going to crawl back into his life and take away his freedom once again. But the other side, he just didn’t like Romeo.

Like at all.

There was something off about him but Marc couldn’t figure out what. It was like every time he locked eyes with Romeo, a terrible, anxiety riddled feeling churned in his stomach. He was overcome with this intense fear that he couldn’t explain.

After spending most of his life as a mercenary and the fist of Khonsu, Marc didn’t need to have superpowers to Know Romeo was bad news.

But how was he supposed to tell Steven this? He had no actual evidence that Romeo was evil, so why would Steven ever believe him? Plus, his alter needed friends. Hell, Marc even needed new friends. But with this Romeo guy? No way that was going to happen. He just had to tell Steven his gut feeling and he’d understand, right?

“Thank you, Steven. I really needed to hear those words. But, it’s just, I don’t know…Why do you wanna be friends with this guy, anyway? I mean, your nothing alike!” Marc started, his tone edging on agitated.

Steven bit the inside of his cheek, “So? We don’t have to be the bloody same, come on don’t think like that. Plus, he’s cool, okay? He’s bloody cool and I want to be his friend!” Steven couldn’t help but blush as he defended Romeo. God’s, why did Romeo make him blush this hard?

“Steven, are you blushing?” Marc laughed with confusion.

“No! I’m not! This sweater is just warm, that’s all!” Steven muttered, his whole face now red.

“Oh my God’s, you have a crush on him. Oh my God, you like Romeo..” Marc realized, his mouth agape.

How could he have not seen this? Steven was basically a blushing mess whenever Romeo talked to him. Plus the way Steven keeps obsessing over what to wear for Saturday…He wanted to impress Romeo!

“So what if I do!” Steven blurted out, his voice cracking.

His heart quickened like a rabbit in a cage, the sound of blood rushing in his ears blurring out the TV static. God, he was so embarrassed!

“I’m a little confused, to be honest. I swear the way you were eyeing my wife, you were straight? If your gay, I have no problem with that. It’s just, I’m a little confused.” Marc explained, his words blending together.

He had no problem with Steven liking men, it was just he never really talked about these types of things before. In fact, he never really thought about his sexuality or gender or any of that stuff, so he was a little nervous talking about this kind of stuff.

“I’m not gay. I like women. It’s just, I kinda always liked men too? I don’t know, I’ve never really gave it any thought, ya know? It wasn’t a big deal to me, just how I felt and stuff. And I guess I have a crush on Romeo, which isn't surprising cause come on, he looks like a bloody model. And his personality, it’s just so outgoing! Like, I could never imagine being a bartender? And his style, it’s so unique! And he doesn’t mind when I rant about Egyptian mythology, it’s like a dream! Oh, I’m rambling again aren’t I.. Ha ha..” Steven laughed awkwardly and snuggled up against the corner of the couch, hugging himself with his arms.

“I’m proud of you for telling me this, Steven. I’m glad you feel comfortable talking about this kinda stuff. It isn’t really my forte but I’m here if you want to talk about it. But Romeo, really? He gives me a bad vibe” Marc explained with a cross of his arms.

“Bad vibes? What the bloody Hell does that mean? Is it because he paints his nails? Does it make him edgy, like some sort of bad boy? Or is it cause of his eye scar…”

Marc’s eyes widened, “No, Steven, it’s not because of his scar! Jesus, I don’t care about some scar. It’s just, I don’t know, he gives me a bad feeling in my gut. Like he isn’t telling the truth! You can see that, can’t you? There’s something off about him-” Marc’s rant was cut off by the sound of the New’s channel.

The words of the reporters stunned his words, shaking both Marc and Steven to the core.

It was about The Grim Reaper. He had killed again.

Chapter Text

"This chastity is Greek to me, the meat is still fresh
The gnashing teeth will masticate the bones from the flesh
Since nobody will tell me where these bastards go, I'll see for myself
I think they might go to hell"

-Front Street by Will Wood and the Tapeworms

“The Grim Reaper’s latest victim, Brian Miller, was placed in a secure, unknown location later today. Unlike his last victims, Miller is thankfully alive. We don’t have much detail on the case, other than that Mr. Miller is head of the New York police department and is getting treated for his wounds. Luckily, the wounds in question aren’t severe and he is said to make a quick recovery. This is huge break in the Grim Reaper case, as now we have an alive victim, someone who has seen the killer’s face and can correctly identify the culprit. Hell’s Kitchen and all of New York are in Mr. Miller’s prays and are confident this killer will soon be caught, and his victims will finally get to rest in peace.” The reporter explained to her co-host, her face revealing a smile of hope.

Marc scoffed, “This killer’s done more for Hell’s Kitchen than the NYPD has.”

Steven didn’t like when murder was involved but he had to admit Marc was right. The killer had exposed a corrupt politician while the government and police department both covered it up. Without him, the politician would still be harassing women and who knows what else.

And now, with one of his victims being alive, The Grim Reaper’s rampage will finally come to an end.

“I agree with you on that, mate. I’m glad that politician is dead even though I hate to admit liking someone’s death…” Steven muttered, a little ashamed.

Was it wrong for him to be glad that someone so horrible was dead? He deserved what he got but wishing death upon someone else was wrong, wasn’t it? But then again, Steven and Marc had both killed people, so who knows what’s right and wrong at this point. The blood is still on Steven’s hands and he can never wash it off.

“Oh, this just in..Hold on” The reporter said, startled and held up her hand.

“We just got a new update on the Grim Reaper case, oh dear..” She swallowed thickly, her face ashen and pale.

“This just in, a case has been filed against Mr. Miller by his wife. She went to the internet to expose the truth about her husband. And we’ll play the video now.”

A youtube video popped up on the TV, a woman’s face in the center of the screen. “Hello, my name is Alicia Miller and I’m Brian Miller’s wife. When I fist got the news that my husband had been kidnapped by the killer they call the Grim Reaper, my first reaction was relief. I’m not ashamed to say that, after everything my husband has done to me. Don’t be fooled by his charming personality and lies, he is an abuser. He is my abuser. I was afraid to speak out before all this happened, since he’s a well loved, popular police chief. If I tried to speak out, I would just be silenced. Just like many women before me. So, when the killer got ahold of my husband, I was thankful. I want to say thank you to the Grim Reaper and all he has done. He has brought attention to so many abusers that are intertwined within our society, especially within the rich. Even though he is a killer and murder is wrong, The Grim Reaper is doing what he must. He is saving people as well as killing them. Victims can now be free from their abusers, can’t you see that? He is the savior that we needed. Thank you and I hope this gives strength to other victims out there to tell their story.”

The video ended and was replaced with the grim faces of the new’s reporters. Suddenly, Marc took over the body and shut off the TV. Then, just as soon as he fronted, Marc was gone and left into the deep hallways of their mind.

“Oh dear…” Steven stuttered, understanding what had gotten Marc so triggered.

Steven didn’t know he was shaking until he looked down at his hands. His whole body felt hot and sweaty, his lungs straining with each breath.

With a cry, Steven wrapped himself in a ball in the corner of the couch, his whole body vibrating.

He couldn’t stop shaking.

He couldn’t stop crying.

He couldn’t-

Everything stopped and Steven’s face became eerily calm. His body stopped shaking and his chest heaved with a full breath. Jake Lockley looked around at his alters apartment with fondness.

Oh, he wished he could live a simple life like Steven and Marc. But that wasn’t who he was.

He was the protector of this body and would do anything to keep his alters safe, no matter the cost. Sighing, he got up from the couch and cracked his neck.

The sun was setting and right on queue, Khonsu blipped into the apartment, his skeletal body leaning down to look at Jake.

“His victim is alive, my son. And I believe he is going to try and kill him. So we must act quick!” The God of the moon bellowed and slammed his staff with a deafening boom.

Romeo knew he had to act quickly if he wanted to kill Brian Miller. So, as soon as the sun set, he got to work. Bringing out a large map, he sat it down on the small, kitchen island in his apartment. Luckily, he kept a lock of Miller's hair for cases like this. Setting the lock down in the middle of the map, he then took out a knife.

It was simple, the handle black and the blade thin and sharp. He pulled up his sleeve and with a deep breath, started chanting in ancient Greek. With a quick flick of his hand, the knife sliced a thin cut into his wrist.

Still chanting, Romeo let the blood drip down and fall onto the lock of hair. A burst of fire erupted from the map, the flame small but strong. The lights in his apartment flickered on and off. Bambi started to howl and bark at the top of her lungs.

With a laugh, Romeo watched as the small flame sizzled across the map and stopped when it found it’s location. The fire vanished, leaving a burn spot next to where he needed to go to find Miller.

“Thank Lillith,” Romeo praised and sent a small prayer to his mother.

Snatching the map, Romeo grabbed his keys and quickly ran out the door. Getting into his car, the engine blaring to life with a satisfying roar, Romeo drove, determined to kill.

“Where is Brian Miller held?” Jake asked as he jumped across building after building, his crescent-shaped cape flowing in the night wind.

It was getting colder as the days of September were coming to and end. The night air bit harshly into Jake’s skin and whipped in his face as he soared across the sky.

“Be warned, my son. Miller is not who you think he is. He is an abuser, a man corrupted by lust and sin. When you find him, you must kill him. Not this so called Grim Reaper but you, my Moon Knight” Khonsu warned as Jake got closer to the location.

“So it seems like this guy’s going after criminals. But how does he know all this? How is he finding out this information?” Jake grumbled as he took a sharp right.

“As I said before, he is not human. He is something evil, something not of our world. He is…I am not sure. I still can not seem to track down and identify this parasite!” Khonsu growled, so loudly that it shook the trees and scared off the birds nearby.

“And why do we need to kill him? He’s basically doing our job for us, killing criminals and all that” Jake argued, still not sure what he was going to find once he got to the hospital where Miller was at.

Was the killer even going to look human? Or something else entirely, like some ancient monster conjured up from the depths of the most horrendous nightmares? He was killing terrible people not innocents! So, in Jake’s book, this killer was okay.

“That is why we must kill him, my child. He is doing your job for you! You are the protector of the night, there cannot be two!”

Jake sighed, “Alright, Pájaro. Don’t get your beak in a twist.”

He didn’t agree with Khonsu’s reasoning but maybe after meeting the guy he’ll change his mind. If he kills criminals, he must not be as evil as the media pertrays him, right? Then again, if a God is telling Jake how evil this guy is, then he must be real bad news.

Hiding the car in the thicket of the forest, Romeo stepped out from the tall trees and stared at the long walk to the hospital.

It was a discreet, well protected building in the middle of nowhere, south of New York. The facility had acres of forest surrounding both sides, making it impossible to see from afar. But lucky for Romeo, he was good at tracking. Plus, he had Bambi. Letting her smell Miller’s lock of hair, Bambi instantly found a path that headed straight toward their target.

Following Bambi, whose nose was deep in the dirt and sniffing, a smile grew on Romeo’s lips. He just needed to complete this job quickly and anonymously. The first and most important thing he needed to do was take out the camera’s or else his entire plan will fail and all of this planning will be for nothing.

Finally, at the end of the forest, Romeo hid behind a tree, letting the shadows engulf him in their darkness. His eyes black eyes peeked out from the tree and counted ten people guarding the entrance. Romeo looked at Bambi and counted down from three.

Then, Romeo whispered, “Kill!” and Bambi bolted out from the forest, her mouth open and sharp teeth on full display as she attacked the unexpecting guards.

Romeo joined his dog and slashed down each guard with ease. Before anyone could get out a scream, Romeo sliced their throats with one quick motion, letting their dead bodies hit the ground with a thump.

Bambi just as easily tore down the targets, her salivating maw ripping off arms and legs, ripping open stomachs, letting intestines pile up on the dirt ground in a grim display.

The intestines looked like worms in the darkness; if Romeo steadied his eyes enough, he could see them withering.

Once all the guards were dead, Romeo signaled Bambi to shadow travel them through the walls. This was how Romeo got away from his crime scenes so easily, it was all thanks to Bambi and her teleporting abilities.

Letting his hand rest on Bambi’s fur, they both easily slid through the wall and into the hospital. Once in, the shadows engulfed them once more, hiding them safely in the darkness. There were five guards roaming the first floor, each one holding a gun.

First, Romeo needed to get into the control room and turn off the camera’s but how was he going to do that without drawing attention to himself?

Biting the inside of his cheek, Romeo took a deep breath and beckoned every shadow in the room to come to him. The shadows swirled forward, wrapping Romeo in a blanket of comfort and hiding him completely.

“Stay here and wait for my signal,” He whispered to Bambi in ancient Greek, then stepped out into the middle of the room.

Chapter Text

"I gave you blood, blood, gallons of the stuff

I gave you all that you can drink, and it has never been enough

I gave you blood, blood, blood

I'm the kind of human wreckage that you love"

- Blood by My Chemical Romance

Once Romeo made sure the guards couldn’t see him, he shuffled against the walls, his eyes searching for the control room. The shadows swirled and shifted as Romeo walked but he knew the strange movement would draw attention soon. In a quick decision, Romeo ran, throwing open doors and seeing if it was the one. Obviously, the guards noticed but they stopped, guns pointed but didn’t know where to shoot. All they could see was a moving, human-shaped shadow, frantically running across the room.

The corners looked strange without the shadows, it was as if someone has just plucked them off of the walls like stickers. The guards watched as the shadows traveled through the air like a fast cloud, like thick smoke. A gun shot rang out but passed right through the shadows and hit the back wall instead.

“Shit! Just keep shooting!” A guard yelled and a chorus of gunshots rang out.

The guards upstairs took notice and came rushing down the stairs, guns raised. “There’s been an breach! Someone is trying to reach Miller!” A man called out, signaling for the other guards to surround the strange shadow creature.

Romeo sighed at the stupidity of the guards. He was literally made out of shadow; how couldn’t they see their guns did absolutely nothing? Romeo kicked down another door and was pleasantly surprised to find the the control room. A man sat behind a desk, his eyes widening at the weird sight before him.

“What-” The man started but stopped as Romeo slammed and locked the door behind him.

With a push of his hands, the shadows moved through the air and slipped through the walls like smoke, leaving Romeo back to his normal form. “Ah!” The guard screamed and stumbled out of his chair, a hand reaching for his gun.

“How do I shut off all the cameras?” Romeo snapped and grabbed the guard, pulling him up by his hair.

“Help me! Stop!” The man screamed, thrashing in Romeo’s grip.

The door shook as the guards tried to break it down. With each slam, the door rattled, threatening to snap off its hinges. “Bambi! Attack!” He yelled, hearing a loud bark in response.

The guards behind the door screamed as Bambi attacked them. Gun shots went off but Romeo knew Bambi would be safe. She was hard to kill.

“Now, your going to tell me how the hell to shut off these camera’s, Capito?” Romeo growled and shoved the guard against the wall.

His name tag read John and looked to be somewhere in his late thirties. John shook his head rapidly, “I can’t! They’ll fire me!”

With a groan, Romeo curled his hands around John’s neck and picked him up with ease. “Ah!” The guard choked out as Romeo squeezed.

“Tell me how to shut them off or I snap your fucking neck!” He asked, his voice an impossibly low growl. The walls shook and the lights flickered.

“Fine!” John wheezed out, causing Romeo to drop him.

The guard fell with a loud thud, heaving each breath as he sucked back in the air. “Just give me a minute” He gasped out, his whole body shaking.

“I don’t have a minute!” Romeo screamed as abruptly picked back up John by his hair, pulling with such force that hair came loose in between his fingers. He threw John in front of the computers and grabbed his face. “Spegnere le telecamere! Ora!” Romeo screamed and pushed his nails into the man’s face.

“Okay! Okay!” John choked out and Romeo yanked out his nails, leaving blood to flow down the man’s cheeks.

Bambi seemed to make quick work of the guards as all the screaming and gun fire had stopped. With a deep breath, Romeo reminded himself to calm down. If he didn’t, his rage and insanity would consume him. He didn’t want a replay of what happened last time that happened. With a click, John disabled all the cameras in the whole facility. With a wide smile, Romeo leaned down over John.

“Thank you for finally cooperating...” He chuckled and with a deep sigh, snapped John’s neck.

Dusting his hands off, Romeo unlocked the door and stepped out, pausing to look at all the damage. About twenty guards were sprawled out on the linoleum floor, all of them heavily wounded and dead. Blood spilled out underneath each body, covering the white floor in a sticky, red mess.

God’s, Romeo loved the sight. All the blood and gore. How the blood slithered pass the bodies like a river of red. The sweet metallic smell of blood and exposed organs, how stomach acid leaked out from some of the bodies in a grotesque display.

Bambi sat in the middle of it all, her black fur coat soaked in blood. She was knawing on some intenstines and with chew, a squishy sound echoed off the walls.

“Good girl! Who’s my favorite girl?” Romeo cooed as he ran over to Bambi, instantly wrapping her in a hug. He didn’t care if he got blood on his outfit, the cloth was black so it wouldn’t stand out as much. Plus, he was going to take a shower after all this anyway. “My Bambi” Romeo awed in a baby voice, giving her one last pat as he stood up.

“Let’s go kill Miller, yeah?” 

Jack Lockley stood in front of the facility, a large hospital like building that was built to hold Brian Miller. He wasn’t surprised to find dead guards by the entrance, but he was shocked about how much gore there was.

When it came to killing, Lockley wanted it done quickly and easily. No mess, no spill that he needed to clean up after. It a a quick slice across the neck, or a stab directly in the heart. If he wanted no mess, he would just strangle the criminal out.

But he never once left such a mess like the one in front of him. There was ten guards, both women and men, sprawled out on the grass. There wounds were so deep that blood spilled out of each body, filling the entire walkway with sticky the sticky, red mess. Anywhere he walked, he stepped in blood. There was so much of it, it was even too much for Lockley.

“Dios mío…” Jake whispered, the stench of gore so strong that the mask couldn’t mask it.

“He is an animal, my knight. He is death itself. Look around you and see what he has done. Do you want to spare him now?” Khonsu spoke in a low whisper, his skeleton head turning towards Jake.

“Your right, this is too much. No one should be able to do this much damage. It’s barbaric” Lockley responded, his tone quiet and somber.

“Then go, my son. Find this monster and kill it!” Khonsu urged and motioned to the door.

The Moon Knight kicked down the door and stopped, his hands curling into fists at the scene in front of him. There was even more gore. About twenty guards laid dead, their blood soaking the entire floor until no white linoleum was left. He slowly walked over to one of the bodies and an image from the bar shooting flashed into his mind.

Crouching down, Jake examined a large bite in the guards neck. It looked iike it was from a dog, a very large one. The animal had ripped out the man’s throat completely, to the point that not even vocal chords were left.

“What kind of evil is this?” Jake asked, his voice thick with confusion.

Khonsu leaned down and tilted his head. “It looks to be from sort of monster. A dog, possibly. But one that is part of our world.”

With a shiver, Jake stood up and turned to his God. “So this creature has a dog? A companion of some sort?”

Khonsu nodded, “Yes, so be wary. We are not fighting one but two monsters.” Lockley took a deep breath, looked one last time at Khonsu, then ran up the stairs. 

Romeo stood over Brian Miller’s hospital bed, a knife curled in his hands.

The dagger hovered over his victim's heart and any second, Romeo would plunge the weapon deep into the man’s heart, killing him for good. He shouldn’t have let his taste for pain control him. Instead of getting rid of this piece of shit, Romeo had toyed and tortured Miller, taking his sweet time as each scream filled the air.

Two shoots with a nail gun weren’t enough, and Romeo should have known that. If he had stayed any longer, that annoying superhero would have caught him.

But now, with no more enemies in sight, Romeo could finally finish the job.

Bambi’s bark snapped Romeo out of his concentration. Before he could ask what was wrong, the door slammed open, and a white-clad figure lunged at him. 

Chapter Text

"Rip the veins from human necks

Until they're wet with life

Razorblades  love teenage flesh

An epidermoid

I'll bring back a souvenir

For it's my mommy's dream

Can I go out and kill tonight, kill tonight?"

-Mommy, Can I Go Out & Kill Tonight? by The Misfits 

As soon as Jake got the door down, he lunged at the killer without a second thought. Channeling all the strength he had, Jake grabbed the man by the arms in tight fists and threw him against the hospital wall.

The criminal that Khonsu talked so fiercely about looked like an ordinary man, the only thing out of place was how much blood the guy was drenched in. Pinning him against the wall, Jake could see now what his God meant by evil.

The killer's eyes were a dark, inky black. No pupils, just pools of swirling obsidian that the longer Jake looked in, the harder it was to tear his own eyes away from. The only color in those enchanting eyes was a long, thin scar going through the man’s left eye.

The scar was milky white and ragged from torn scar tissue. It reminds Jake of a lightning strike over a black, starless sky. The killer’s lips slowly turned into a chilling smile.

“Don’t stare into his eyes!” Khonsu barked, causing Jake to snap out of his trance-like state.

Grabbing a fist full of brown hair, Moon Knight slammed the man’s head against the wall repeatedly, only to throw him harshly to the floor when he was satisfied. He was lucky to have caught the killer so off guard, but he wasn’t sure how much damage he has to do to immobilize him completely.

How strong was he? And most important, what even was he?

Jake glared down at the man, who was starting to sit up, in a silent seething rage. He lazily stood up, in one long relaxed movement as if all he hadn’t been hurt at all. Brushing off his blood-soaked shirt, the man smiled again.

“So, you're the fucker who’s been tracking me down, huh?” His tone was almost playful, his voice deep and smooth like butter.

Jake clenched his fist but reminded himself that arguing with this maniac wasn’t going to do anything. “Yeah, I suppose I am. And now I’ve finally found you” the Fist of Khonsu spoke back, his words spitting out like venom.

The killer tilted his head, “Yeah, I guess you did. Lucky you!” He laughed and shook his head as if all of this was some big game.

“I gotta admit, your pretty strong for someone in white rags. Wouldn’t expect a walking clown like you to pack such a punch” The killer said, picking the blood out from underneath his nails.

“Clown? What kinda clowns wear white, idiota?”

The other man sighed and dropped his hands, “ I don’t know, the stupid kind?”

Jake could tell that the killer as getting annoyed with their little banter, and so was he. When picturing the well-known ‘Grim Reaper’, Jake didn’t imagine this. From the way Khonsu was describing him, Jake imagined a creature more animal than human.

Apart from the eerie black eyes, the man looked human. Brown hair slicked back with blood, a tall frame covered in a torn and bloodied black shirt, and a strong, mystic surrounding him, the killer looked haunting.

Like one of those ancient pictures or Greek statues, and if Jake looked hard enough, the killer could pass as one of those timeless art pieces. God’s, what he was he even thinking about? Timeless, haunting, mystic? This man was an insane killer who Jake needed to kill, not some old relic that needed stealing. Without another thought, the Fist of Vengeance grabbed and threw his target across the room, causing the harsh sound of body colliding with brick fill the room.

“You really like throwing me around, huh?” The killer cooed from the floor, batting his eyelashes.

No matter how many times Jake hurled the killer around the room like a doll, he didn’t seem phased in the slightest. Or even hurt, for that matter.

“What are you?” Jake growled, yanked the man up and slammed him against the wall. He pushed the killer against the wall, pinning him.

“I said, what are you?”

The killer laughed in Jake’s face, “You're going to fast for me, hun, buy me a drink first, yeah?”

Okay, enough of this, Jake thought with a snarl. Slipping out his knife, a sharp crescent-shaped blade, Jake went to slit the man’s throat.

The killer broke free out of his grasp and in one quick motion, bit down into Jake’s shoulder.

“What the-?!” He screamed and watched in horror as the killer clamped down, the teeth sharp like knives in Jake’s skin, and tore out a chunk of his flesh. The meat of his shoulder stretched as the man pulled away. The stringy parts of Jake’s muscle trailed like vines down the killer’s mouth. 

Tumbling back and grasping the fresh wound, his hand came away instantly soaked in blood and the metallic smell filled his nose, making Jake choke. “Oh God..” Moon Knight groaned, the large bite sized hole throbbed with pain and heat, making Jake’s head spin.

Looking down at the damage, Jake saw the teeth marks where it punctured the skin. It looked similar to a dog bite. Wait…Jake spun around and saw a big dog hunched over in the room’s corner, its fur so dark that the dog seemed to blend in within the shadows.

“How..?” Jake muttered as more blood gushed out, painting his white armor red.

Luckily, he could feel his skin start to slowly knit back together but the fear of what just happened stops him from celebrating.

He had just been bitten by a human. No, not a human, something that looks like a human.

A creature masquerading as a man.

In all the months he’s been working for Khonsu he has never once been bitten by the enemy. He was been shot, stabbed, choked and even burned but never bitten.

The killer smiled wide, revealing the chunks of blood and flesh that were stuck in his teeth.

Jake’s blood and flesh.

His insides were in the monster’s teeth. Jake’s stomach lurched and he forced himself not to throw up.

The creature backed up from the wall and walked towards Jake, his movements were slow and intricate like a predator stalking its prey.

And just like an animal, the killer opened his mouth to reveal numerous sharp fangs instead of teeth. Not long like a vampire but thin and sharp like daggers.

The creature hissed and growled; a sound no human body should be able to make. A sudden overwhelming wave of nausea hit Jake. This isn’t right.

There is something very wrong here. He shouldn’t be able to see the creature in front of him, something so evil and grotesque shouldn’t exist in the mortal world.

And yet here Jake is, looking at him with his very own eyes.

“Ah, I know what he is now…” Khonsu’s booming voice called next to Jake.

“He’s a Maniae , one of the many manifestations of insanity, frenzy, and madness, created by the Greek Goddess of Night, Nyx. She is one of the primordial gods who emerged as the dawn of creation. A very ancient being with unspeakable power. And standing here right in front of you, is one of her many demon spawn. A child born of pure darkness, a child born of chaos and pain..” 

Chapter Text

"My soul was crushed like a tall boy

Underneath the boots on the curb

And I'm still picking up my molars

And putting them back in my face"

- Hand me my shovel I’m going in by Will Wood

Jake froze, his mind trying to wrap around what Khonsu just explained. A child of Nyx, the Greek Goddess of night? The physical embodiment of insanity and literal spawn of a God? How is this possible?

“Looks like your little God told you who I am. How exciting!” The demon laughed, his eyes looking behind Jake and going straight to Khonsu.

“Yes, I can see Khonsu” The demon clicked his tongue and crept closer to Jake.

“Interesting, I’ve never meant an human avatar before, especially one for an Egyptian God. And for Khonsu no less! The only Egyptian God outcasted by his fellow God’s, how sad. And in return of all the rejection, you pick a human avatar to be your slave? How does it feel, Fist of Khonsu, to be the God’s loyal dog? Do you enjoy being his little slave? His play thing? Tell me, when you follow orders, do you like being controlled? How about killing? Do you like it when your God tells you who to kill? Do you enjoy all that blood on your hands?” The demon’s words were slow and melodic, almost like the musical notes from a siren’s call.

His tone was serious and monotone, as if each word were carefully crafted in the creature's mind and perfectly thought out. The shadows in the room started to move and swirl and Jake stood, baffled, as he watched the shadows take shape behind the demon. The shadows twisted themselves into wings, large black wings that rose behind the demon in a grand display of otherworldliness. And right there, as Jake watched in terrified awe, the wings fluttered, and the truth of what was happening came crashing down.

Jake was in front of something that shouldn't even exist, a divine child of a literal God. He couldn't even wrap his mind around the realization that this creature in front of him represented insanity and madness, literal emotions that somehow made up a flesh covered, semi normal looking person. 

This was way above what he was used to. How could he defeat something so ethereal? A creature that was made out of the pure darkness of shadows? Staring into those hauntingly beautiful eyes, Jake was swept away by the lulling melody of it all. He was being consumed by the very thing he was meant to destroy. He couldn’t move his eyes away from the demon, no matter how hard he tried.

Those eyes. Those Goddamn eyes.

The Man, Brian Miller, who was the whole reason why he came here for, slipped out of Jake’s mind. The only thing Jake could do was stare into those eyes. He was trapped, like a mouse in a cage, only to be toyed with by a cat. “Move! My child, move!” Khonsu’s booming voice was a quiet whisper behind Jake. All the noises, the sound of the crickets outside, the soft pants of the strange dog breathing in the corner, the way the wind blew harshly against the windows, it all meant nothing. He couldn’t hear any of it.

“Marc Spector, age 38. Born in Chicago and raised by your mother and father. A brother named Randall, who tragically died when you were five. That must have been really hard for you, to lose a brother so young and sudden. It’s strange, I can’t seem to pick out any other details from your life. After Randall’s death, it’s all blank. How peculiar you are, Spector..” The demon slithered out, his words venomous.

Before Jake could stop it, he let out a deep whine, a sound full of deep sorrow and sadness. It vibrated through his throat, burning his skin like acid. How could he show such emotion in front of this creature? How pathetic is he?

“How do you know my name?” Jake managed to whisper out, still never leaving the demon’s gaze.

“Oh, I’m a creature of many talents! The thing is, I couldn’t reach into that little, human mind of yours because of that special armor. So, I went for the second option, biting you! Once I tasted your flesh and blood, your memories came easily to me. It’s like reading a book but instead of a book, I’m reading your soul. But the thing is, there’s something strange about you. Your memories, a lot of them are missing. Like pieces missing in a puzzle, their just simply gone…I’ve never seen anything like it!” He giggled, a manic sound that only the most depraved, evil creatures could make.

The monster came closer until he and Jake were only inches apart. He lifted his hand and a sharp claw like nail slid out from his pointer finger. The nail was a gross, decaying black, and when it grazed Jake’s cheek, even though he was masked, his whole body flinched.

“You are nothing but a pawn in Khonsu’s game, can’t you see? You are nothing to him, just a loyal dog following the orders of his master. Now, tell me, did Khonsu tell you to kill me? Or was it your idea?” His nail slid across Jake’s cheek almost affectionately and when Jake didn’t respond, the tip of the nail dug through the mask and into Jake’s skin.

“It was Khonsu’s idea. He said you needed to be killed, that you don’t belong here in the mortal world. That your evil.” Jake choked out, almost as if the words were being forced out of his mouth by an invisible presence.

“Ah, so it wasn’t your idea! So, are you here to kill Brian as well?”

Jake nodded, “Khonsu is jealous of you. He wants me to only be the protector of the night. Not some animalistic killer.”

Khonsu hissed and brought his staff down, “Enough of this nonsense! My night, you can break the bonds this demon has on your mind! Don’t listen to him, you are stronger than this creature! Break free and make me proud once again!”

The God of the Moon’s words were clearer in Jake’s mind but still, the lurking TV static still blurred his mind. All he could think about was the demon’s black, souless eyes. The longer he looked into them, the more the shadows seemed to engulf Jake like a pack of ravenous wolves. He was being held down mentally and physically by this creature and Jake, for once in his life, has no idea how to stop it.

The demon’s deep voice whispered in Jake’s ear, “You're scared and so, so alone..” His breath stank of blood and flesh.

“Just give up and everything will be okay..”

Jake shuddered, his mind screaming at him to not give into the demon’s fantasies, but everytime he tried to fight back, the shadows would yank back his mind, forcing him into submission. Flashes of Marc’s childhood snapped into Jake’s mind. All those horrible moments with his mother, the death of his brother and the raw, lonlieness that followed soon after.

Words popped into Jakes mind: Alone, it’s all your fault, monster, psycho, freak.

“Argh!” Jake groaned and clutched his head, what was the demon doing to him?

“He’s taking control over your memories and turning them against you! He’s a bringer of insanity, he can make any mortal man go mad. Fight it, my child! You are stronger than he is!” Khonsu’s deep voice roared next to Jake, his tone almost desperate.

Tears pooled in Jake’s eyes as a memory of Marc’s mother’s funeral flashed in his mind. How Marc was so overcome with anger and grief that Jake was forced to take over. How he had swithced to find the body hunched over in the middle of the road, face puffy and stained with tears. His lungs burning from heavy sobs. No, he can’t think about this now! That was in the past and he had to focus right now, right here in the present.

Wait, where was Jake? Images flashed in his mind, like a slideshow of recent events. Dead bodies littered a hospital floor, blood painted walls and a tall, black eyed man with fangs. That’s right, Jake was at a secure hospital facility and was currently fighting a child of Nyx…

Jake’s eyes fluttered open and with all the strength he had, broke free of his mental bonds. He slid out his blade and stabbed it into the demon’s chest. With the blade still in, Jake pushed the demon back into the wall and slid the weapon deeper until he heard the snap of bone cracking.

The demon must have been shocked because he looked at Jake with wide, angry eyes but didn’t say a word. Jake lifted the blood slicked knife and stabbed it into the the demon’s stomach. Blood poured out of the fresh wounds and gushed down the demon’s already soaked shirt. The squelsh of blood and intestines filled the air as Jake dug the knife deeper. His vision flashed with red, wether it was from anger or the amount of blood, Jake didn’t care. He was pissed .

“Die! You! Pathetic! Creature!” Jake growled as he slashed the knife all across the demon’s body, until his whole frame was covered in fresh, sticky blood.

With a pant, Jake abruptly stopped and tore out the knife. His back still up against the wall, the demon smiled. His sharp fangs on full display and covered in dried blood.

“I like playing with knives too. What a shame I didn’t bring my own” The demon laughed and Jake watched in horror as the all the cuts and stab wounds knitted themselves back together, leaving behind smooth, non-wounded skin.

No, no, no!

Jake threw the blade down, his whole chest heaving. “Why?! Why did you kill all those people? What is the purpose of all of this?! Slaughtering and torturing high government officials, shooting down all those biker’s? Why?! Why now?!” Jake’s voice came out quick and breathy, his lungs burning.

“Why, why?!” The demon roared and pushed Jake roughly, his lips turning into a snarl.

“Why do you think?! It’s the same reason why you go around dressed in those rags, following the order’s of some God and protecting the travelers of the night! It’s because they need to die. It’s my job to protect the innocent! I bring justice, just like you! It’s funny, you stand here, trying so hard to kill me, yet you and me aren’t so different. We both want the same thing, Marc. We want to protect the innocent. We want to rip out the evil growing within this world but no matter what we do, we can never fully wipe out the evil. So, we try our best and get rid of the one’s with most influence. The one’s with power and status, like police and government officials. We do the same thing, whether you like it or not!” The demon’s words are harsh and bite like venom, but theres a desperate rawness underneath his tone.

Jake stumbles back and lets out a sad, tired laugh. “Yeah, I guess your right..” He grabs the side of his head over the mask and pulls hard.

“Dios mío…Dios mío…Dios mío” He mutters and let’s out another shaky laugh.

He can’t do this right now, he can’t argue and fight this creature, knowing he can never fully succeed with killing him. God’s, is he tired. He'd never been this exhausted while fighting someone. It must have been due to the mental torment that this monster put him through. His alters are gonna have one hell of a headache when they wake back up. 

“Why do you torture them..? He decided to ask, the curiosity getting the better of him.

At this point, Jake was done fighting the demon. He just wanted go home and take a long nap but first, he had to learn more about this creature.

The demon lifts an eyebrow, “To put it simply, they deserve it and I enjoy it..”

Jake lifts up a hand, “fair enough.”

The demon nods to Brian, who is still fast asleep in a coma. “What should we do about him?”

Jake shrugs, “We should probably kill him. Do you wanna do it? Or should I? At this point I don’t fucking care..”

The demon sighs, “You should do it. Given after all the hard work of getting here and fighting me, you deserve it.”

Jake chuckles, “Yeah, whatever..”

He walks over to the bed, takes out his other blade and slits Brian’s throat. The man dies instantly.

“Well, there you go, bastard’s finally dead,” Jake mutters and shakes his head.

“Well, this was…fun..” The demon says with a grimace and gestures to Jake.

“Yeah, fun..” Jake grumbles back.

“I should probably get going, the cops will probably be here soon…” The demon says as he picks the blood out from underneath his fingernails.

“You got a name at least? You know mine so it’s only fair if I know yours” Jake sighs.

The demon crosses his arms and leans against the wall, “Fine. The name’s Romeo, nice to finally meet you and I'm not a demon. I'm technically a lower-level deity.”

Jake rolls his eyes, “Yeah whatever, it’s been a treat.”

With that, Moon Knight jumps out the window and soars into the night sky. “Well, that was something” Khonsu mumbles as Jake leaps across a rooftop, making his way back to Marc and Steven’s apartment.

“Yeah, it definitely was..” 

Chapter Text

"Sometimes I wish I could lend you my voice

Lend you my heart and lend you my choice

Sometimes I hope for a savior to come

Who's got what it takes to convince everyone"

- blow my brains out by tikkle me

As Jake got closer to the apartment, he snapped his moon knight outfit off with magic, courtesy of Khonsu, and returned back to his normal clothes, a long-sleeved blue shirt and jeans. Plus, the cap he always wore kept tight over his tired eyes. Taking out the keys, he unlocked the door and clicked it closed behind him.

God’s, he was exhausted. After the long fight with the demon, Romeo, all of Jake’s energy had fizzled out, leaving his body and mind heavy like lead. As he put back on the clothes that Steven was wearing when Jake switched in, so his alter wouldn’t get suspicious, there was a strange lingering in the back of Jake’s mind.

It wouldn’t stop nagging at him, as if he had missed something important. It was that name, Romeo. Where had he heard it before? Marc or Steven must have, it wasn’t that common but in a place like New York, you could probably meet a lot of Italians with that same name.

That was it, his alters just knew that name, nothing to worry about. It just happened to be the same name as a demon. Making sure all the blood was off of him, Jake curled up into the corner of the couch, the same position Steven was in, and closed his eyes.

He let his mind wander until he was back in their headspace, allowing Steven to take over the body when he was ready. So, Jake stayed there, circling inside their mind as he waited for his alter to wake up. 

Romeo was back in his apartment, his entire body covered in blood. It was in the grooves of his hands, underneath his fingernails, in the spaces between his teeth and even caked onto his head, dirtying his hair and dying it red. He felt gross and stank of death. Bambi whined and nudged her nose into Romeo’s palm,” You need a shower too, huh?”

Sighing, he went into the bathroom, turned on the shower and closed the curtain. Going into his room, he stripped off all his clothes, not caring to put them into a neat pile, and looked at himself in the mirror. His room was small but comfy.

A queen sized bed with red covers, a small vanity in the corner, a closet full of flamboyant clothes. The walls were bare except for the three photographs tapped next to his vanity, all of them taken by a polaroid. The photos were graying from age and the corners were dog eared but Romeo didn’t care. It was the only pictures he had left of his friends.

Tugging his hands through his sticky hair, Romeo reminded himself that the shower was still running. He can’t let his thought run wild. He turned back towards the mirror to survey the damage. His legs and feet were cleaned of blood but sadly, it couldn’t be said for his upper body.

After Moon Knight sliced his chest to Hell, it had made cuts in his shirt, allowing the blood to stain his skin. There were no wounds, just his usual scar covered skin, now splattered with dried blood.

God’s, was he ugly. The blood blurred most of his scars but that didn't matter, his whole chest and stomach were still littered with noticeable deep scars and burns. Trailing his fingers across a mass of burned and mutilated skin that was over his heart, Romeo tried not to remember what was underneath all that scarred tissue. The brand was gone, he was free. And he had the lasting wounds to prove it. Bambi barked, startling Romeo before he could go down memory lane.

“Right, the shower..” He nodded, took a deep breath and stepped into the shower. 

Steven slowly blinked opened his eyes, vision blurring as his surroundings come into view. Blinking a couple more times, the small, dark inside of his apartment filled his vision. He was sitting in the corner of the couch, his huge sweater engulfing his body like a blanket.

Even though the room felt humid and dusty from the comfort of books, Steven somehow still felt cold. It was a deep bone chill, the kind where it sank into your bones and wrapped its frigid claws around the soul.

He was shaking but his heart wasn’t pounding. What had happened..?

The soft, white light of the moon filtered through the window, illuminating the floor in a dreamy glow. It was nighttime but hadn’t it been sunlight just a few seconds ago? Or, did Steven accidentally fall asleep?

A memory of an argument between him and Marc surfaced in his mind, how Marc had sank back into the depths of their mind due to a sudden trigger, how Steven bared that weight of the deep sadness that overcame their mind. They were watching the New’s Channel and there was new information in the Hell’s Kitchen killer case. A woman, the husband of a victim, came forward and told her side of the story.

Steven flinched, the woman had talked about her abuse story. That was why Marc had been so triggered and Steven couldn’t blame him. Then what had happened to him after Marc left? All he remembers is sitting on this same couch, curled into a ball and crying and then nothing.  

Did he pass out from the sudden wave of strong emotion? Did he pass out from crying so much? But, no, he’s never done that before. Getting up from the couch with a groan, Steven flicked on the light switch. Didn’t he have the lights on before? Why were the lights off? He must have subconsciously turned off the lights to signal to himself that he needed sleep. Yeah, that’s probably what happened..Right?

“Marc…You there, mate?” Steven whispered out loud.

There was no reply. Sighing, Steven went over to the kitchen to make himself some tea. Maybe a nice English tea would help clear his mind? Looking over at the clock, his heart leaped in his chest as h saw what time it was. It was midnight.. He had fallen asleep for 5 hours…

He knew it was only eight when he first sat on the couch, so how was it so late now? His muscles ached as he grabbed a mug and started the tea kettle.

“Bloody feels like a ran a mile” Steven muttered with a shake of his head. Listening to the tea heat up in the kettle, Steven flicked open his phone to see if he had any missed messages. There was one from Laya from about three hours ago.

Layla:  Just wanted to check in, everything alright? Miss you guys a lot! Hope your enjoying New York! :)

 Laya’s text read. Steven smiled, writing back 

Steven: Hey, Layla! Everything’s good, New York’s been lovely! I even got a new job as a tour guide at guess what, an ancient Egyptian history museum! Cheers! -Steven

Smiling down at his phone, Steven wondered how Layla was doing in Egypt. It’s been a month since they've last seen each other and Layla promised to meet up in a couple weeks and Steven couldn’t wait! Even though he had a bad experience with being an avatar, specifically because it was Khonsu, he knew Layla was safe with Taweret.

The last time he and Marc met her, she was a cheery Goddess that seemed happy to help them. He was glad Layla wasn’t alone but the thought of being so far away from her was heartbreaking. He definitely needed to video call her soon! The sudden whistle of the tea kettle shook Steven out of his thoughts and nearly made him jump.

“Bloody Hell!” Steven gasped, clutching his chest.

“Nearly gave me a heart attack..”

With a laugh, he took the kettle off the stove and poured himself a cup of tea. Blowing on his tea, Steven stared out of the window, enjoying the way the noise of traffic and New York night life blended together. It was a nice distraction from his never ending, worried thoughts, especially with him waking up after supposedly passing out for five hours.

Steven couldn't deny that it was concerning. It was probably nothing, right? Just an extreme wave of emotions that made him pass out from exhaustion. That had to be normal for his condition, right? Steven couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong, like he was missing an important piece of a huge puzzle.

Scrubbing his face with his hands, a burst of anxiety overwhelmed Steven. “Marc, you there?” He asked desperately, not wanting to be alone.

Tears filled his eyes and threatened to spill. “No, I can’t do this right now..Not again” Steven whispered with a sniffle.

He had to call someone, just to hear another person’s voice. All this silence in his head was maddening. But who could he call? Definitely not Layla, even though she would probably love to hear from him. She was probably busy and Steven didn’t want to bother her. The name ‘Romeo’ stared back at Steven, a name he had gotten so used to saying, even though it had only just been a week. Didn’t Romeo work late, so maybe he was up? Or maybe he was still working and Steven would be bothering him? A tear slid down his cheek and Steven made the brash, desperate decision to click the call button. 

Romeo stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around himself. The thick, warm air in the room felt like a comfortable blanket and all Romeo wanted to do was stay there, basking in the warmth and enjoying the way it felt on his cold skin. But the sudden sound of his burner phone ringing across the hall forced him to leave the safe space of the bathroom. Who the Hell would call him at such a late hour?

Frowning in surprise more than annoyance, Romeo looked down as Steven’s name flashed on the screen. Hitting answer, Romeo put the phone on speaker.

“Oh, bugger, I shouldn’t be calling so late. I’m sorry if your at work or something, I know you work late hours at the bar. Oh my days, I’m sorry, I’m probably bothering you..” Steven’s quiet voice rang out and echoed across Romeo’s room.

He knew Steven was a quiet, shy guy but the way he sounded over the phone was different. It sounded more sad.

“Steven, you okay? I promise your not bothering me, I actually just got done work so no worries.”

He could hear Steven try to muffle a sniffle, “Oh, okay, that’s good. Real good..I honestly don’t know why I’m calling, I think I just wanted someone to talk to, ya know? It’s late and I just woke up from a long nap and I guess I just…”

His voice hitched and cracked. “I just don't want to be alone…”

If Romeo’s dead, unbeating heart could move, it would be breaking for Steven. The fight with Moon Knight instantly flew from Romeo’s mind and the only thing that seemd to matter now was making sure Steven was okay.

“Hey, it’s alright. Do you want me to come over? It’s no problem at all, I promise. You sound like you need a friend to cheer you up” Romeo said with full sincerity.

Steven laughed, a sad, small-sounding noise. “That sounds good..Yeah, I think that would be good. I’ll send you the address, see you soon..” And with that, Steven hung up.

Romeo threw his burner phone on the bed and gave Bambi a pat. “Don’t worry, Steven will be alright.” Bambi whined and nudged his hand, making Romeo chuckle. “You care for the guy, huh? I know how you feel…”

Taking a deep breath, Romeo dried himself and opened his closet. “I probably shouldn’t wear something too fancy..” He pondered out loud.

He froze, why was he so worried about his outfit? He was just going to see Steven, a quick little visit to see a friend so why did Romeo feel so anxious?

“Oh God’s, not again..” He groaned and dramatically fell back onto his bed.

“I’m falling for him, Bambi. I’m falling for Steven..”

He couldn’t do this again, he couldn’t fall for another mortal man. The last time he did, well, he got killed and it was all Romeo’s fault. He was a child of a literal Goddess, he shouldn’t get crushes on humans. What would his mother think?

Bambi whined and nudged Romeo’s foot. “I know, I know” He sighed and got back up.

He couldn’t be late to Steven’s apartment, especially the way his friend was acting. What happens if he gets there too late and something bad happens? He knows what it’s like, to be up so late and feeling that strange, sadness the night brings.

Even as a creature of night, he wasn’t protected from the loneliness it brings. Putting on a simple black long-sleeved shirt and jeans, Romeo grabbed his sunglasses and phone and went out the door.  

Chapter Text

“Found some reasons he's so pleasing all of the time, my, my, my

We want to see, oh yes we want to see

Handle it with caution, no, it's not even my-my-my-mine

Careful with that, oh be careful with that

It's in the way you move your hair now

It's in the way you go like this”

-Don’t Sleep by the Sugarplastic

Steven wrapped his sweater around his body like a big blanket, holding his arms close to his stomach and waited for Romeo to arrive. He couldn’t deny that he was nervous and a little embarrassed. Even though his friend seemed completely fine with coming over so late, Steven still felt shame for having to call him at midnight just because he was feeling sad and lonely.

“Bloody pathetic, that is..” Steven muttered to himself with a shaky laugh.

Why couldn’t he be like Marc and just tough it out? Steven could have drunk his tea and turned on a baking show, letting his emotions be forgotten with silly TV and good tea. But, no, instead he had to go and call Romeo, who he’s only known for a week, and pathetically ask him to come over. He basically begged and he bet that Romeo could hear his little sniffles over the phone. “Stupid, stupid!” Steven groaned and dragged his hands through his hair.

Looking into the numerous mirrors he has hanging around the apartment, Steven stared into his reflection. His brown, curly hair was frizzy and stuck up in different directions. His tired eyes had deep purple bags underneath them and his face was puffy and red from crying. Even his outfit screamed ‘sad’, a huge brown sweater that engulfed his body, so much so that the sleeves went way past his hands. With the simple gray sweatpants, he looked miserable and small.

“Jeans, I’ll wear some jeans..” Steven muttered to himself as he rummaged through his drawers. 

As he did that, his movements quick and hands shaking, Jake watched from the corner of their mind. When he had heard that Steven was inviting someone over, Jake decided to hover and see who it was. He had to be careful though, like a shadow on the wall, as he surveyed his alter. He couldn’t make his presence too known and project his reflection through mirrors like Marc and Steven often did. So, Jake hovered close to the surface, watching as Steven hurriedly put on jeans and sat back down on the couch, his hands tightly clenched around his sleeves. It couldn’t be Layla coming over, as she was all the way in Egypt, so who the Hell was Steven inviting over?

Jake didn’t hover like this often, afraid of being caught, so he wasn’t up to all the life drama that Steve and Marc were up to. He knew Steven had a job at a museum, probably something to do with ancient Egypt, and that they lived in a small apartment in Queen’s. So, Jake wasn’t up to speed with all the friends his altars made. It was mostly out of curiosity to see who this mystery person was. Plus, his over protectiveness wanted to make sure this person was treating Steven alright.

He didn’t doubt Steven had good choices when making friends, but he was still naive when it came to such things. Jake wanted to make sure Steven would be alright, it was his job to keep his alters safe after all. So, when a soft knock came from the door, Jake’s attention was on full alert, and he was ready to jump in when needed. Steven went up to the door and quickly unlocked it, his hands shadowed in huge sleeves.

“Thank you so much for coming, I’m sorry it’s so late!” Steven muttered and let his friend in.

The friend, a tall man, came into Jake’s view. His heart dropped and his stomach churned, the world around him becoming a dull blur, his only attention on the familiar man that had just walked into his alters apartment.

“Hey, it’s no problem at all, I promise. I’m glad you called me, Steven” Romeo smiled back as Steven ushered him into the apartment.

No. No. No! Jake covered his mouth before he could let out a scream.

It was Romeo, the demon, a child of the Goddess Nyx, who was Steven’s friend. The man who had slaughtered a whole squad of guards just a few hours ago. The man who had been soaked head to toe in blood, his black eyes gleaning as he circled Jake like a vicious predator stalking its prey.

The man who had bitten Jake, nearly ripping out his throat. Jake’s flesh and blood had been in this man’s mouth not even two hours ago and now here he was, standing next to Steven with a wide smile. He was in their apartment. He was friends with Steven. Jake clutched his stomach, bile rising in his throat.

This can’t be happening; this can’t be real! Before Jake could physically react, he sank back into the depths of their mind and screamed. 

Before Romeo entered Steven’s apartment, he had sat in his car, contemplating on what to do about his eyes. He usually wore sunglasses since he had the excuse of it always being sunny but now that autumn was approaching, he couldn’t blame it on the weather anymore. Plus, he was coming over at night, so it would just be weird if Romeo showed up in sunglasses. Turning the car’s rearview mirror towards his face, Romeo stared at his black eyes and watched as his scar glistened like molten silver in the moonlight.

He couldn’t go into Steven’s apartment looking like this. His friend would have so many questions, plus it would expose Romeo as something other than human. What could Romeo blame his black eyes on? Shaking his head, Romeo just decided to do a small, masking spell over his eyes, making them appear dark brown. He still had his scar but at least his eyes were normal. The spell wouldn’t last long, maybe three hours at most, so he decided to bring his sunglasses just in case. 

Now standing in Steven’s apartment, Romeo took in the unfamiliar scenery. The first thing that hit him was the strong smell of old books. It wasn’t dusty enough to tickle his nose but rather made him feel a sense of warmth and calmness. It reminded Romeo of a well lived in, loved home rather than an attic, collecting dust. A hint of spice also filled the air, the notes full of cinnamon and clover. Overall, the smell in here was way better than Romeo’s stale, metallic smelling apartment. Smiling, Romeo grazed over the numerous bookshelves lining the walls, each shelf packed full of books. In the middle of the bookshelves, there was a large fish tank, a fish swimming lazily through the water.

A cozy looking couch sat in the middle of the room, a TV sitting on a short bookshelf placed in front of it. A small kitchen sat to the left. A standing table with high legged chairs instead of a dining room table. It all looked so cozy, and Romeo couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous.

What would his life be like if he lived as comfortable and relaxed as this? Steven’s day to day life seemed so normal, something that Romeo could never achieve. A sad, indescribable feeling sat in Romeo’s stomach, making him queasy. Shaking his head, Romeo shoved the emotion down and put on a smile.

“Your apartment looks really cozy, a drastic change to mine” he said, glancing down at Steven.

The shorter man laughed politely, “Oh, please, this place is a mess. I should have warned you beforehand, ha..” Wrapping his arms around himself, Steven awkwardly stood next to Romeo, unsure of what to do.

“I remember you had a fish with you at the pet store. Is it the same one in the tank?” Romeo asked, walking up to the tank.

Steven stood next to him and tapped lightly on the glass, “Yup, little guy's name is Gus 3.”

Romeo raised an eyebrow, “Gus 3? What happened to 1 and 2?”

Steven let out a sad laugh, “I wasn’t a good fish dad, allowed them to die. Couldn’t even look after some fish, typical..”

The taller man frowned, turned his head towards Steven and lightly grazed his shoulder but hesitated, unsure if he should touch him. Was Steven okay with physical contact? It would be a simple gesture, something to signify how much his words meant. But he knew some people were sensitive when it came to a sudden touch, even if he was just going to be feeling the fabric of his sweater.

Hell, Romeo understands what that’s like: feeling uncomfortable with physical touch. He had a whole year of the negative kind, so experiencing touch, specifically the positive kind, would take some getting used to.

Steven looked up at Romeo with those big brown eyes, his face so close that he could see the flutter of his long eyelashes. Steven’s full, red tinted lips parted, and Romeo couldn’t help but stare.

“Can I place my hand on your shoulder?” Romeo asked, his voice a husky whisper.

Steven shook his head silently, their eyes still never leaving each other. Placing his hand lightly on Steven’s shoulder, Romeo squeezed. “Steven, listen to me, for as long as I’ve known you, which, well, hasn’t been that long, I’ve learned that you're an amazing person. Your kind, your generous, your passionate when it comes to things you like, such as Egyptian mythology. You work hard at your job, from what you've told me anyway”, Romeo gave Steven a cheeky smile, “So, please don’t beat yourself up over your pet fishes. Your human, Steven. You make mistakes.”

Flinching, Romeo mentally yelled at himself for not saying ‘We make mistakes.’ Way to give away I’m not human.

Luckily, Steven didn’t seem to notice. Their eyes tore apart, Steven’s eyes not resting at the wall behind Romeo. “Yeah, your right. Sorry, today, or rather, tonight, hasn’t been so great…”

Letting go of his shoulder, Romeo turned his attention back to the goldfish and smiled affectionately. “Gus 3 seems to be thriving, yeah? Good thing I didn’t bring Bambi, she would be crawling up the tank by now!”

Steven chuckled, his eyes meeting Romeo’s again, “Good thing Gus 3’s behind a tank but I have a feeling she’d find a way. Smart buggers dogs are, yeah?”

“Smart, ha! My Bambi’s trained but I swear, sometimes she doesn’t have a brain. Just this week, her and I went for a walk down town and this family walks by, yeah? Well, Bambi suddenly starts whining and yanking at her leash, trying to get to the kid. She wanted to play with him but to the family it probably looked like she wanted to eat him! Anyway, the parents gave me dirty looks and quickly crossed to the other side of the street. It was so embarrassing!”

Steven bundled over in a fit of laughter, a beautiful sound that filled Romeo’s ears. “Oh dear, poor kid!” Steven giggled and wiped tears from his eyes.

“I know, not Bambi’s best moment” Romeo laughed back with a shake of his head.

Bambi was a well-trained Hell Hound gifted to him by his mother but sometimes she would retreat back to her dog instincts. It was embarrassing but honestly, Romeo didn’t mind. He wouldn’t trade Bambi for the world. After the laughter settled, the tension in the air felt more relaxed, not the same thick, awkwardness when Romeo had first walked in. It was like the more Steven laughed, the more comfortable he become around Romeo.

Noticing an open tin of tea bags resting on the counter, he asked “Looks like you made some tea earlier, did it help?” his voice quiet and patient.

He didn’t want Steven to become overwhelmed again, though it seemed like he was slowly starting to get there, his movements choppy and face stark to hide his true feelings.

Steven nodded slowly, “Yeah, sorta. I thought making some English tea from back home would help calm me down and it did. It was a nice nostalgic feeling, you know?”

Romeo eyed the tea kettle next to the stove, the discarded cup on the counter. “Yeah, I get that. It’s nice to remember the past sometimes..” He trailed, his tone quieting at how truthful and raw his words were.

“Anyway, I don’t I’ve ever had real English tea before. Like the kind straight from England. What’s it taste like?”

Steven instantly lit up, his eyes widening with warmth. “You've never had English tea!? A true shame, it’s the best tea there is!”

His lips turned into a smile as he animatedly ranted about English tea. The way his whole face lights up when he talks about something he’s passionate about, the way his hands gesture widely and voice deepens in excitement, it warms something deep within Romeo’s cold heart. He could listen to Steven talk all day.

“Don’t even get me started on all the other types of tea’s!” Steven warned with a wave of his hands.

Romeo laughed with him, “Yeah?”

Steven shook his head widely, “I know right!”, and then went on ranting about the differences between English tea and American tea.

Noticing that they've been standing this whole time, Steven sheepishly motions to the couch. Sitting down, Romeo places himself right next to Steven, their thighs inches away from touching.

From the warm light cascading down by the lights above and the moonlight filtering in through the windows, the room’s atmosphere made Romeo’s eyes heavy with a comforting tiredness. It wasn’t enough for him to fall asleep right on the couch but just enough for him to feel safe and cozy. It was the same sensation he felt as if it were a cold, winter day and he was trapped inside by a snow storm, all bundled up in fluffy blankets and curling up next to a roaring fireplace.

That was how Steven made him feel. All warm and relaxed, like the human embodiment of sunshine. 

Chapter Text

“I can't handle rejection, stand my reflection

Damn, no one gets it

Should I be kind and remind that I'm weak?

So I fall more behind every week”

-4 morant by Doja Cat

The regret and embarrassment of calling Romeo had finally diminished, leaving Steven with a heavy, warm feeling deep inside his chest. His presence seemed to wash away any aches from within his bones, any sore muscles begging to be stretched and the mental anguish that had been controlling Steven all night.

It was all gone, the only thought left in his mind was one word: Romeo. Sitting so close to him, inches apart on the couch, was thrilling. It was the same feeling Steven got on roller coasters: the bubbly swirl of butterflies flitting around in his stomach, the excited anxiousness before the coaster tilts over the edge, teasing him at the long drop down.

Another swirl rustled inside Steven, causing him to feel light headed. It was a good type of nauseous, the kind where you wanted more, like a sickly sweet candy. Steven could stare at Romeo all day and never get tired of it, no matter how much his stomach churned with jitteriness or how fast his heart thumped in his chest. Romeo tilted his head and Steven quickly looked away, his cheeks flushing.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare…” He muttered and looked down at the floor, not wanting to stare back into Romeo’s eyes for the fear of being scolded.

“It’s alright, you can stare all you want, I don’t mind” Romeo replied back, his tone soft and light, as if he were trying not to scare away a timid animal.

“You know you don’t have to talk that way with me. I’m not gonna break down and cry if you do. I can handle rejection” Steven said nervously, still unwilling to move his head up.

“Steven, look at me” Romeo demanded without any anger and Steven slowly met his gaze. “I don’t mean to offend you, darling. I just want you to feel safe with me, that’s all.”

Steven blinked, unsure if he had heard the other man’s words right. He sounded so honest, so desperate to make sure Steven was okay. It was strange to hear another person talk this way with Steven. To act so gentle and caring. It also scared him, having someone genuinely feel this way towards Steven. Sure, he had Marc but they never acted this way around each other.

Instead of Marc’s sharp edged voice with nice sounding words, Romeo’s tone didn’t have any hint of anger in them. His tone, his words, his voice, it was all comforting in a way Steven had never experienced before. And he couldn’t help but soak in all in, warming into Romeo’s gaze like a moth to a flame. The taller man’s fingers grazed Steven’s cheek, his touch light like the brush of a feather.

Steven nodded, allowing Romeo to cup his cheek. “I want to be here, Steven. I know it’s hard but don’t let those negative thoughts control you. You're safe here with me, I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you. Ever.” There was a deep bite at the end of Romeo’s words, startling Steven a little.

It wasn’t the sharp snap of a growl but a burning oath of a promise. Romeo meant his words and nothing was ever going to break that promise. As soon as Romeo removed his hand, Steven’s cheek instantly longed to feel the man’s cold touch against his warm skin again.

It was an indescribable ache that thundered against Steven’s chest, begging Romeo to caress Steven’s skin once more. Pushing those feelings down, the shorter man brought his attention back to Romeo, specifically to the cut going across his left eye like a flash of silver lightening. With the sunglasses gone, Steven could finally see the full scar on display.

And it was beautiful.

The warm, deep brown color of his eyes reminded Steven of melted chocolate on a hot summer day. The way the scar scratched down his eye, top to bottom, all ragged and sharp like a thin piece of broken glass. The scar hid his pupil, leaving a swirl of milky silver instead of the brown of his right eye. He must be blind out of that eye, Steven thought with a frown.

With a sudden wave of confidence, Steven lifted his hand and gently pressed it against Romeo’s face, his thumb caressing right below the scar. “Steven-” Romeo began but stopped as soon as the shorter man touched the scar.

The pad of his thumb stroked along the scar, so slow and soft that it felt like a whisper against Romeo’s skin. Steven could feel that the wound was raised and the more he traced it, the more Romeo shivered underneath his touch.

“You poor thing..” Steven whispered, his voice breathy as he watched the other man struggle to keep still even though he could hear the sharp intake of an inhale and the shaky release of an exhale.

Romeo’s black shirt must have gotten loose because the collar slid off to the right, exposing the sharp edges of his collar bone. His olive skin stretched tightly across each groove and dip of his muscles and to Steven’s surprise, revealed more scars. A long thick white line curved across his collar bone, reaching up just above the hollow of his neck.

Instead of a pale white, the scar was a frightening red color and the wide middle looked almost sunken, making the wound seem more intense and inflamed, most likely the cause from it being such a deep cut. Another cut slashed across it, making a ragged and deformed X shape with the scars.

Both were similar and Steven couldn’t help but wince at the thought of how these came to be. Dragging his fingers down his cheek and across the dip of his neck, Romeo flinched, his breath hitching. Steven slid his fingers down the X, feeling how raised the skin was. To have such an outcome, the cut must have been very deep, going so far as to stretch apart the skin to cause such a wide wound.

“Steven…” Romeo sighed out, his eyes dazed and glossy with a dream-like look.

“Do they still hurt?” He asked, his fingers now dipping around the scar, trailing the small white cuts that surrounded the X.

There were so many smaller scars, each one slashed across Romeo’s skin in a unorganized pattern, like pencil marks drawn by a manic author. “Who did this to you?” Steven whispered out, his throat thick as he stared at Romeo’s skin, his gaze catching yet another scar he didn’t see before.

The starting of another wound, the tissue thick and rough, the skin so scared and mutilated that Steven couldn’t even describe it as skin, peeked out from Romeo’s shirt, just above his chest, right where his heart would be. Sliding his fingers down lower, until he felt the strong defined muscles of his chest, Romeo abrubtly grabbed Steven’s hand.

It wasn’t a rough grab, more like a warning but he could see anger in Romeo’s deep brown eyes. No, it wasn’t anger. It was fear.

His hand was shaking yet didn’t move Steven’s hand from his chest. He could feel Romeo’s slick palm against his, the hand cold like ice. “Steven, please don’t” Romeo whispered out, his eyes pleading.

He could see tears forming in the man’s eyes and the desperate attempt to stop them from falling. He could see the way Romeo’s lips quivered and how fast his chest was heaving. Eyebrows furrowed, the taller man squeezed Steven’s hand.

“You don’t want to see the scar, trust me. You've seen enough already, Steven.” His voice shook with every word, his tone thick with emotion.

“What If I want to see it? Not out of morbid curiosity but because their beautiful?” 

Romeo blinked and opened his mouth but no words came out. Then, he laughed, a deep and lonely sound that echoed the sadness from within his heart. It was humorless and quick but Steven still felt the power behind it. How the emotions painted across Romeo’s face were so raw and real that it almost frightened Steven.

How could a man be so broken? Both physically and mentally?

“Beautiful? What about any of this is beautiful?” The taller man choked out with a sneer.

“You think of them as something to hate and you're scared to think any different. You're so used to judgeful stares that you forget the warm comfort of a friend. You forget that there's kindness and genuine love in the world and I’m here to tell you that I will never judge your scars. I will never stare at you with disgust or cruel judgment, I will only ever look at you with kindness and compassion. Your scars are like paint marks across an abstract painting. They shimmer like tattooed lightening strikes, jagged and utterly breathtaking. And they all tell a story, don’t they? And I want to learn that story, if you let me..” Steven mummered back, his cheeks starting to heat up from how raw and honest his words were.

He’s never been this open to someone before, not even Marc or Layla. He’s never poured out his heart like this, his words so passionate that his throat burned like fire, his chest thumping against his ribcage like a wild bird begging to be let free. It startled him how quickly Romeo made him feel at ease.

Romeo abruptly shoved Steven’s hand away and jumped up from the couch, his hands guarded as if he were trying to settle down an aggressive dog. His long, thin fingers, so delicate that they looked to be out of a renaissance painting, tugged at his brown hair.

“You're going to be the end of me, Steven. With your flowery words and pretty face, your going to ruin me” Romeo whispered out, his voice so quite that Steven had to strain his ears to hear it.

The taller man barked out another humorless laugh covered his hands with his face, sliding his palms down his cheeks. “I don’t understand..” Steven whispered back but somehow, deep down, he knew what Romeo meant.

“Look at you, comforting me when the whole reason I’m here was to comfort you. You shouldn’t be doing this, you shouldn’t say things that aren’t true” Romeo remarked with a wild shake of his head.

Steven could tell his words were really getting under the taller man’s skin. Romeo’s movements were jerky and robotic, his eyes wide and darting all across the room, never once meeting Steven’s.

“Romeo” Steven began and grabbed his hand, “Who did these to you? Who hurt you so badly that you can’t even believe my honest words of affection? What happened to you?”

His lips turned into a cruel smile, something he’s never seen the man do before. It was like his own face became a twisted verision of itself, like a crude mask. His eyes brown eyes seemed to get darker, gleaning in the moonlight like pools of obsidian. It scared Steven. 

“I was in Hell, Steven. I was in fucking Hell.” 

Chapter Text

"Why do we, crucify ourselves, every day?

I crucify myself and nothing I do is good enough for you

I crucify myself, every day

I crucify myself

My heart is sick of being

I said my heart is sick of being in chains"

- Crucify by Tori Amos

Steven knew the current cozy atmosphere had now turned thick with awkward tension as soon as Romeo’s words filled the air. He couldn’t help but flinch at the aggressive tone that had taken over Romeo’s response. It was filled with poison and full of long lived trauma that Steven couldn’t even began to understand or question, for that matter.

To live through something that resulted in so many scars, both physically and mentally, it scared Steven to imagine what Romeo had gone through. But his answer wasn’t as clear as Steven would have liked. He still didn’t know for sure that Romeo wasn’t the one who gave himself scars and that worried Steven.

A person can go through so much pain and suffering until they simply can’t. Is that what happened to Romeo? Did he finally cave in to those dark desires and carve his pain into his skin? A forever reminder of what he’s been through, that his pain was so great that it turned into something physical?

Steven tried to pry for more, almost begging to make sure Romeo was okay but the man just shrugged him off and said it was time for him to leave.

Steven had tried to get him to stay the night, it was late, he could sleep on the couch. But no, Romeo shook his head, apologizing over and over again until he walked out the door, leaving Steven all alone once again. Standing in the middle of his living room, Steven wondered if he could ever truly know the strange man that he had befriended. 

It was 1967 and Romeo was standing in front of a small church in Austin, Texas. The building had no colorful mosaic windows displaying scenes from out of the bible, just bland but strong built walls and two wooden doors, now closed for mass. He was twenty minutes late, but he didn’t care.

The only thing that mattered was getting the job done. Clutching the piece of paper in his fist, the one he was given by his superior, said only one word: Church. There was no name, no hint at who his target was, it was simply just church, written in red cursive.

The last time he went to church was back in 1928, only eight years old and full of silly little dreams. It was required every Sunday, as was most in New York orphanages, especially in the 1920’s.

But that didn’t matter, nothing in his past mattered. Shoving the paper back in his pocket, Romeo took a deep breath, rearranged the gun hidden behind his shirt and opened the huge wooden doors.

The hidges creaked loudly, echoing through the tall walls of the church. Everyone in the pews, including the priest turned their heads to stare at him. Softly closing the doors behind him, Romeo gave a single wave. The priest nodded and continued on with his lecture.

Sliding into one of the few spaces left on the pews, the place was packed, Romeo sat and waited. The ear piece gave out a sudden beep, nearly making the man jump in his seat. Brushing hair over the ear piece he was wearing, his superior’s familiar voice boomed.

“ Target: Church. Leave no one alive.” Romeo coughed, cut off guard by his blunt words. A woman sitting next to him gave him a judgmental look.

“This one is going to be a little bit different, Demonio, so listen very carefully. Do you see the people around you, the families in the pews? The priest lecturing on stage? There a nazi group, left over from the war, masquerading as a christian church. It’s a small, tight knit group but they've been growing in numbers as of lately and it’s your job to eliminate them all. To send a message if you will. Now, I know you have a thing against killing children so lucky for you, and since I’m so generous, all the targets are over eighteen. And yes, I know this is the largest hit you've ever done so please don’t fuck this up. You've trained your whole life for this, Demonio. Make me proud.” With that, his ear piece beeped off and Romeo was left dumb founded, unsure if he’d heard his boss’s words right.

Killing an entire group of people? He didn’t care about killing, especially since his targets are nazi’s but he’s never killed this many people before. There had to be at least forty to fifty people in here, the pews packed shoulder to shoulder with men and women.

And murdering in a church, wasn’t that immoral? Even though this wasn’t an actual church, it still felt wrong. Even wrong for Romeo, who’s killed so many people in the past four years.

He’s already sinned so much, he shouldn't have to put ‘slaughtering inside holy grounds’ on his list of wicked acts.

It was too much, it was just plain wrong. Shouldn’t he wait till the group was out of the church? But, no, this was some sort of test created by his superior.

To see if Romeo was suited for this type of work, to see if he was worthy of killing. To see if he could kill without thought, without reason, no matter the location. No matter the situation. It didn’t matter how much blood Romeo spilled, as long as he got the job done everything would be alright.

Looking around the church, the people seemed so….normal.

The only thing that gave away that something wasn't right here was how similar they all looked. They were all white, blue eyed and blonde haired.

The perfect German society, crafted by Hitler. Disgust coiled in Romeo’s stomach and his vision blarred red with anger. How dare these people sit here in such a holy place, posioning the air with their foul presence? They were nazi’s and Romeo had to kill them. But how?

There were so many people, making his head spin. So many blood would spill, so many bones would be broken and snapped. Romeo abruptly stood up, earning a chorus of eyes glaring at him. He was surprised they hasn’t kicked him out yet, as he stood out with stark different physical characteristics.

While they had blonde hair, he had honey brown hair. While they had blue eyes, Romeo had dark brown eyes. He wasn’t as pale, his skin tone more on the sun kissed, olive side.

The most drastic differences was his nails, each one painted black. That was definitely getting him some weird looks. He shoved past the crowded pew and stood in the middle of the hallway, his lanky body awkwardly facing the doors.

“Sir, are you alright?” The priest stopped his lecture to ask.

Romeo counted down from ten, took another deep breath and turned around. “No, I don’t think I am” Romeo began with a step forward.

The priest’s eyebrows shot up, “Do you need a doctor, sir? Whatever is the matter?”

Now he had everyone’s attention and Romeo couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. The taller man took another step forward, “I’m sick, sir. I’m sick in the head. I’m here standing in a church full of nazi’s and breathing your ugly, vile air is giving me a headache.”

The priest’s eyes widened and he froze, his hands tightening around the bible clasped in his hands.  A few men in the pews stood up, their angry faces giving Romeo warning glances.

“ You ugly, disguting animals! I can’t even call you humans because your so vile! This church, this building is a sacred place for worship. Me personally, I’m not religious but I still think polluting this air with nazi propaganda is messed up, yeah?” 

“Who the fuck do you think you are? You freak!” A man yelled and stomped up to Romeo, a permanent scowl on his face.

As the man screamed slurs at Romeo, the priest finally woke up from his initial shock and slammed down his bible. The man stopped, turning quickly to the priest.

“That’s enough! Get this man out of here! He is spewing lies! Blasphemous! The devil has taken over his soul!” The priest bellowed, his face turning red and slicked with sweat.

Romeo could smell the fear even from here. It was delicious. The man grabbed his shoulder, ready to throw him out but Romeo quickly knocked him down. Startled, the nazi jumped back up but was met with Romeo’s fist, the punch so hard that it threw the man across the room and snapped his neck back. Cries of shock and fear echoed through out the church as the people jolted out of their seats and hurried toward the exist.

Romeo slipped out his gun and in one quick motion, shot the priest in the head. The room abrupted in chaos but the people stayed back, scared to get too close to the shooter. His superior's words echoed inside Romeo’s head: Kill them all. Leave no one alive.

So that’s what Romeo did. He killed them all. 

Firing each bullet with quick precision, he watched as three more people fell to the ground, blood spurting out from the wound inside their head. A man ran at Romeo, fists swinging and lunged but the taller man side stepped, connecting his fist to throat. With a gasping choke, the man grasped his red throat and Romeo shot him point blank.

Another man lunged but Romeo grabbed his arm and twisted, instantly snapping the bone. The man screamed, the bone fragment popping out of his skin like a knife.

With a swift kick to the head, the man’s neck snapped, his body folding in on himself like a ragdoll. More targets came but with each bullet they fell, littering the church floor like a swarm of maggots to a carcass. A woman came up to Romeo, her fists swinging widely but Romeo pointed the gun at her head, the cold metal touching her flushed skin.

He pulled the trigger. Nothing. “Damn it!” Romeo growled; the gun was empty.

The woman laughed and snatched the gun away, throwing it to the floor. She punched him and Romeo’s head snapped back, his nose letting out an unnatural crunch. With a snarl, he slipped his pocket knife out and stabbed the woman’s throat.

She gurgled as blood spewed out of the wound and down her throat. Yanking the knife out, Romeo slashed again and again, until the woman’s face was drenched in red, sticky blood. With one last heave of her chest, she toppled to the ground, dead.

Wiping the blood off of his face, Romeo cut and slashed through the bodies as if they were nothing but weeds needing to be cut down. His small knife was soaked entirely with blood, the handle so slick it kept slipping through Romeo’s fingers.

He needed another weapon, something that was more efficient. Spotting an axe in a glass box, Romeo ran up to it and smashed it opened, the sound of broken glass mixing in with the panicked cries of his targets.

Curling his hands around the handle, Romeo smiled. With a deep swing, Romeo heaved the axe into a man, the tip getting stuck into the right side of his skull.

“Ahhh!!” the man screamed and fell to his knees, the axe still lodged deep within his head.

“Still ain’t dead, huh?” Romeo asked and tore the axe free.

Blood spewed everywhere. With another swing, Romeo hit the man again and again until his face was a mutilated and ruined mess of flesh, blood and bone. Tearing the weapon out with a wet tear, Romeo sliced through another targets skull, severing her head completely.

Her head fell the ground and rolled down the hall. The twenty targets left screamed in horror. Time went by in a blur as Romeo slashed and cut, the only sound was each body falling to the ground with a loud thud. Then, finally, there was one more. A man in his late fifties sat curled up, huddled in the corner behind a pew.

His whole body shook, his hands trembling yet he didn’t dare peak up from behind his hands. “So, you the last nazi left, huh?” Romeo hummed and nudged the man with his foot. The target whimpered, “Please, don’t kill me! Please!”

The taller man sighed, the stench of blood finally getting to him. The air was so thick with blood and death that with every breath, Romeo inhaled iron. Grimacing, he yanked the man up and threw him across the room.

“Please!” The target squealed.

“Enough of that pathetic whimpering” Romeo snarled and sliced the man’s head off.

The church was finally silent. No more crying, no more pained whimpering. No more sounds of loud, booming gun fire. No more sounds of a thin blade ripping open someone’s throat and the harsh gurgle of choking on blood.

Stepping over the bodies laid across the floor, Romeo stopped until he was inches away from the doors. His hands were coated in blood and he could feel the liquid starting to harden across his face, begging him to itch it off.

Slowly, Romeo began to take in the carnage around him. Forty people all dead, laid out in numerous positions across the floor.

Some hanging off the pews, their torsos swung across the chairs like mannequins. Heads cut clean off, throats slashed opened.

The floor was slick with blood and covered every inch of the church.

The statue of Jesus stared back at Romeo. And just like him, he too had to bear witness to Romeo’s massacre.

His stomach lurched and Romeo fell to his knees, suddenly feeling weak.

He killed all these people. He killed all these people!

Tears welled in his eyes and pooled down his bloodied cheeks. So much carnage and it was all because of him. He dobbled over, his chest heaving with each shaky breath.

No. No. No. No.

He couldn’t have done this, right? He couldn’t have dealt out so much pain and suffering, right?! He wasn’t capable of doing something so vile and monstrous…Right?

But looking around and seeing the grotesque display of violence, Romeo wasn’t sure anymore. He wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

A sob tore out from his throat like a caged animal, so full of sorrow and hatred that it burned. Sitting in a pile of blood and bodies, Romeo sobbed. 

Romeo gasped awake, nearly falling off his bed. His whole body was shaking and sweat soaked his bare chest. The sight of his room slowly came into view and the familiarity of it all soothed his heightened dread. It was just a dream. He was safe. That was his old life, he didn’t have to dish out the wishes of his master anymore like the good dog he was.

Taking a deep breath, Romeo focused on the warm, fluffy cloth of his blanket and the silky sheets underneath him. He was in his apartment, tucked in the comfort of his bed and far away from the dangers of his past. He shouldn’t have to be so afraid anymore, it was over.

His past life was over . But still, the memories of what he’s done still haunts his dreams like a parasite, always taking, always lurking. The images of mutilated dead bodies flash in his mind and Romeo’s stomach lurches, causing him to double over.

Bile coats his throat and threatens to rise up through his mouth. Rushing out of bed, nearly tripping over the blankets, Romeo runs to the bathroom and falls on his knees in front of the toilet. Grabbing the sides with slick hands, he throws up.

He holds back a gag as thick gobs of blood spew out of him, coloring the water red. His throat burns and his head hurts and oh God’s, he feels so sick.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Romeo spits out the last spew of blood and slowly stands up. His whole body shaking, Bambi hurries over to him and nudges her head against his legs.

“It’s okay, it’s okay…” Romeo mumbles, more to himself that Bambi.

He was okay, he was okay: the words kept rotating in his mind like a desperate mantra.

He had to believe he was okay or else he’ll go fucking crazy.

Another image of a decapitated corpse flashes behind his eyelids and Romeo lets out a rage filled scream. He grabs his face and drags his sharp clawed nails done his cheeks, tearing and opening up skin.

The wounds heal right away and Romeo growls, wishing they’d last. Why did he have to heal so fast? Why did he have to heal at all? It wasn’t fair, his whole life wasn’t fucking fair!

He wanted to feal pain, he wanted to feel the sharp sting of a razor gliding across his skin, tearing open flesh until he could see bone. He craved pain, the feeling so strong that it made his head spin. He wanted to claw open his neck until he choked on his own blood. He wanted to die, gurgling and gasping for breath.

He wanted to rip open his veins, muscles and tendons like they were fucking confetti.

Bambi whined and rubbed her furry face into Romeo’s side. “I need…I need a knife” Romeo panted out, lightly shoving Bambi aside and running to the kitchen, rummaging through the drawers until he found a knife.

Its blade was long and sharp, promising Romeo the bite of pain that he so desperately needed.

Without hesitation, he stabbed himself in the stomach. He shoved the tip so far that the whole length of the blade nestled within his insides.

Romeo could feel the delicious burn of the knife slicing through intestines and muscle and he couldn’t help but let out a manic laugh.

It wasn’t enough though, he wanted to see his insides outside. He wanted to feel himself being ripped apart.

He took the blade out with a wet squelch and the wound instantly healed.

Bambi barked; her black eyes full of panic as she watched her owner fall back into madness.

Romeo took of his sweatpants, leaving himself only in his boxers. He ran to the bathroom, sat down on the edge of the bathtub and cut his thighs to pieces.

He didn’t stop until he felt knife meet bone. He didn’t stop until he saw the white flash of bone. Romeo didn’t stop until his thighs were covered in red, sticky blood. He didn’t stop until his skin burned like fire, his body begging himself to stop this torture.

But it was familiar, and Romeo soaked it all in.

The pain numbed anything else and cleared his head, grounding him.

His cuts healed as Romeo dropped the knife, the sound of blade hitting floor echoing through the small bathroom like a bell.

He sat there, hunched over, his blood drying over newly healed skin and cried. 

Chapter Text

"Well you can't get what you want
But you can get me
So let's set out to sea, love
'Cause you are my medicine
When you're close to me"

-On Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz

Even though his anxiety and worry for Romeo grew after the man abruptly left, Steven still had somehow gotten a good night’s sleep. It was the type of dreamless sleep that feels like the emptiness of a never ending void.

He was falling, falling deep into the depths of his mind, his eyes dancing behind his eyelids as he floated through the black inky sea of space. Then, as soon as it happened, it was over.

The loud ringing of his clock signaled another day at work and the warm, early morning sunlight seeped through the slit of his window, basking the floor like smooth butter.

He felt refreshed and rejuvenated, even though it seemed as if no time had gone by at all. A close of his eyes: it was dark. An opening of his eyes: morning.

It was strange in an unexplainable way but Steven didn’t have the time to get into it, he had one more day of work till the weekend.

Getting ready for work, Marc still asleep, Steven thought of Romeo and the strange night that followed.

He had invited him over, mostly out of pure desperation of not wanting to be alone, and they seemed to be getting along.

Steven thought back to the way his hands traced over the harsh grooves of Romeo’s scars, the way the man shivered underneath his touch.

How he could feel the slow rise of Romeo’s chest and the trembling breaths escaping his full, red tinted lips.

The way Romeo completely gave himself over to Steven, allowing his physical and mental scars to be placed on such a raw display of intimacy.

The sharp curve of Romeo’s chin, the smooth slope of his neck, the harsh angles of his collar bones, it was all Steven could think about.

His fingers still tingled from their touch and a deep part of him ached to feel them once again.

Every part of Romeo was built from the finest stone and chiseled to perfection. Being so close to him last night was like being face to face with a real life painting, his beauty as timeless as the God’s.

Romeo looks at his scars in disgust and shame, but Steven sees them as stars across an endless sky. Each scar is like an accidental brushstroke, only to end up amplifying the paintings beauty.

  When the collar of Romeo’s shirt had slid down, revealing multiple scars, Steven could see the beginning of yet another wound, the top half of red scarred skin, implying that there were yet more scars behind his shirt.

Steven wasn’t afraid to admit that it scared him, knowing that Romeo had all those scars.

The way the harsh line of a red scar curved around his olive skin, taunt and stretched over the sharp outline of his bones.

How Steven could see the white outlines of smaller scars hidden beneath the more vibrant ones.

There were so many scars on that man and Steven had only just seen a small patch of Romeo’s skin.

How many more covered Romeo’s skin? Was his whole torso full of scars?

Are his arms tattooed with wounds, so many that he has to keep them hidden under long sleeved shirts?

Steven’s stomach churned at the thought of how much pain Romeo had to have gone through to get such extreme wounds.

He really hoped Romeo didn’t give himself those scars but if he didn’t, that would mean someone else did and to be honest, Steven wasn’t sure what was worse.

If Romeo had given himself all those wounds, even the one over his left eye, Steven wasn’t sure what he would do.

Knowing that someone had given themselves so many scars, to the point that their skin had become so mutilated and torn, it disturbed him.

Was Romeo a disturbed person?

Disturbed in the way that he had taken a knife to his skin and cut, cut, cut.

Not stopping until every piece of him was covered in scars.

Not stopping until he cut so deep that the scars would never fully heal, leaving behind harsh, risen red lines that popped up like burns on his olive skin?

Or did someone hurt him, leaving him so scarred, mentally and physically that it destroyed his soul, body and mind?

Shaking his head, Steven stopped his train of thought, not wanting his morning to start off on a bad note.

He would think of this later and hopefully get to ask Romeo about it, uncomfortable or not, Steven needed to know. 

After work:

After Steven had carefully placed his books to another shelf, he placed down his laptop on the now clear space.

Connecting to a zoom call, he sat back in a chair, waiting for Layla’s face to pop up on the screen.

She had texted him after work, telling him how she wanted to talk over video chat. Even though they would be seeing each other in person soon, Layla wanted to see their face again after only communicating over text for so long. Plus, she wanted to see how everything was going.

Tapping his fingers anxiously on the chair’s arm, Marc tried to sooth Steven’s worry. “Everything’s gonna be alright, trust me. Layla’s gonna be happy for you” Marc reassured, only causing Steven to groan louder.

He was planning on telling Layla about his crush on Romeo and how maybe, hopefully, it would turn into a relationship. With the way his new friend flirted with him, and especially after what happened last night, there was definitely some sort of tension between the two.

He could see Romeo looked at him, the way his brown eyes widened with affection, scanning every inch of Steven’s face.

How he had taken his time out his night to literally go and check up on him, just to make sure Steven was alright. It felt deeper than a friendship. There was something there, like the starting of a fire, the flame flickering higher and higher until it would catch both of them own fire, burning them as one single flame.

“I really hope so Marc…” Steven muttered back; his tone soft.

He really hoped Layla was okay with this new sudden crush. He knew she was okay with him dating because even though he shared a body with Marc, they were different people. And Layla realized and accepted that but with a man? He hasn’t sure what Layla would think.

A familiar curly haired face popped onto screen, Layla’s wide smile flashing brightly.

“Layla! Bloody get to see you!” Steven chirped and waved. He couldn’t help but stim, flapping his sweater pawed hands in excitement.

“Good to see you too, Steven! How’s New York treating you?”

Clicking his tongue, he didn’t know where to begin. So much had happened in the past few months, to getting settled into their new Queen’s apartment, to getting used to the new city life of New York. Or maybe the fact their was a serial killer in Hell’s Kitchen, just thirty minutes away from their location?

Or maybe Steven should just push that aside and spill about his new crush. Get right to the point. But no, he had to settle his nervousness and start with New York.

“Honestly, it was kinda hard to get used to it all…It’s so different from London, sure there's some similarities but overall, it’s like a more chaotic version of my home city!”

Layla chuckled, “I can imagine! I’ve only been to New York a few times and every time I’ve gone, I’m always still so shocked at how different it is from other places. All the different people, the tall buildings and subways?! It’s a lot!”

Steven nods passionately, “I know right! Tell me about it, it’s absolutely bonkers! So many people, the crowds are huge but theres so many cool stores to check out! A week ago, I went to this super cool pet store and got a friend for Gus! Here, lemme show you.”

He scooped up the laptop and turned it around so the camera was facing the fishtank. His two fishes swam in a lazy circle.

“See em? I can tell that Gus is way happier now that he was a buddy!”

Layla smiles, “Awww, their so cute! Glad to see Marc agreed to getting another pet, or?” 

Steven laughed as Marc sighed in his head. “It was actually his idea! After I got my new job as a museum tour guide, Marc said I deserved something special so we both agreed on getting a fishy friend for Gus! What a nice chap, yeah?” 

“That’s great you guys are getting along. I’m so proud of the two of you!” Layla’s voice was soft and honest, the pride she was feeling coming through in words.

Steven blushed, “Marc says thank you and that we couldn’t have done it without you. Your a big help in our life, you know that? We love you a lot..” He trailed off shyly.

Placing the laptop back down on the table, and sitting down, he could see that Layla was blushing through the screen.

How cute! Steven thought with a giggle. Marc rolled his eyes, “That’s my wife you're talking about..” His words weren’t serious, his tone light and humorous.

“Yeah, yeah, jealous much?” Steven retorted back out loud, a cheeky smile on his lips.

Layla lifted an eyebrow. “Talkin to Marc, you know how protective he is of you.”

Layla chuckled, “Oh, I know! But tell him he doesn’t have to worry, he’s still my loving husband.”

Marc blushed at a loss for words. “Looks like you made Marc speechless! That’s a first!” Steven said.

Layla darkened her eyes, a playful glint in them, “Oh, trust me, this isn’t the first time I’ve made him speechless…”

The British man blushed, his whole face going red, the room suddenly too hot.

“Layla!” Marc hissed out loud, “Your gonna embarrass the poor guy!”

She waved her hand, “Oh, hush. Steven’s a big boy, yeah? He isn’t new to this kind of stuff, you two share a body anyway.”

Swallowing thickly, Steven didn’t want to acknowledge out loud that he’s still, in fact, a virgin. But did it count if the body wasn’t? God’s, this was all so confusing.

Steven laughed nervously, “Ha, ha. Yeah, totally...” He mumbled, the tension in the air suddenly thickening.

He cleared his throat, “anyway, I actually wanted to tell you something, it’s not really important, well it might be or I don’t know…”

He bit the inside of his cheek, unsure of how to start. Should he just go for it and say he was a crush? Or should he start asking about relationship technicalities within his and Layla’s own relationship, because it was going to get a little bit messy.

“Go ahead, Steven.” Layla responded, her smile kind. She waited patiently, her eyes warm and gentle.

“Oh, God’s…Here I go, ha, ha..” Steven muttered, his fingers fiddling with his sweater sleeves.

“It’s alright, go ahead” Marc prompted encouragingly.

“I met someone” Steven blurted out, his whole face flushing in embarrassment.

Layla blinked, her expression slightly faltering but not in anger but rather confusion. “As in a friend or..?” She asked, her tone slow.

“Friend, definitely. But, uh, it might become something more. Like a relationship? But I don’t know, it’s just a crush but I feel like there’s something there, ya know? Like it could blossom into something other than friendship. And I just wanted to let you know, in case it does develop into something more romantic. I know your okay with me dating but still, consent and all that..” His rant trailed off, his chest feeling lighter than it has in days.

It was good that he could finally vocalize his new found feelings to someone, sure he told Marc but telling someone else seemed to validate his emotions. He had a crush on someone and that was okay. There was no Marc worrying and telling him how he didn’t like Romeo, simply for the fear of losing Steven.

But Layla would understand him, he just had to put his thoughts into words. Steven’s worry went away as he watched Layla’s smile grew, a twinkle glowing in her eyes.

“That’s great, Steven! I’m so happy for you. I’m glad that you've met someone, who is she? Tell me all about her!”

Steven flinched at the specific use of the ‘her’ pronoun.

Bollocks, now he had to explain to Layla that it wasn’t a woman but a man .

That he was falling for another man, one who was way more extroverted and confident than him. One who has beautiful brown eyes that are so dark that they looked like shining obsidian.

A man who is covered in lightening striked scars, a mystery that Steven has yet to solve. There’s so much he doesn’t know about Romeo yet he’s already falling head over heals for him!

Well, here goes nothing, Steven cleared his throat, “Ha, well about that…Um, ‘she’ is actually a ‘he’. I have a crush on a guy…”

He waited impatiently, the seconds going by feeling like long drawn out minutes. Sweat pooled down Steven’s forehead and heat crawled up his neck.

This was a mistake. This was a mistake. This was a- 

“Oh, okay! Well, tell me all about him!” Layla’s very voice broke the thick, anxious tension, startling Steven out of his anxiety riddled thoughts.

“You don’t care that he’s a guy..? I mean, of course you don’t! I was just worried, ya know how I can be, all nerves and what not…” His voice was trembling with every word, his breath coming out shaky.

Why was this so hard to talk about?

“Hey, it’s okay Steven. I’d never judge you for being interested in men! I don’t care if your straight, bi or whatever, you're still my Steven. Don’t let anyone try to tell you different, love is love. And I know Marc would never judge you for that, right hun?”

Steven’s eyes swelled with tears but not from sadness but from pure joy. He was so happy, the love and accepting coming from Layla warming his heart and dousing the fire riddled anxiety in the pit of his stomach, the one that was threatening to consume him.

But with Marc’s and Layla’s support, all of that went away, leaving him happy, content and proud .

“Of course I support him, doesn’t matter who he likes, he’s still Steven” Marc fronts, his familiar Chicago accent filling Laya’s ears.

“And do you know about his crush, Marc? Have you met him? Does he know about your condition?” Her tone was light but a heavy tone settled around her words, especially when it came to talking about their DID.

She knew how confusing it could be from another person’s perspective, Hell, she even felt confused when she first found out. But now after countless hours of research educating her about this disorder, Layla could say that talking to both Marc and Steven were as simple as talking to anyone else.

She didn’t mind that they were both in the same body, they were still different people and if anyone disagreed, they were going to have a problem. No one judged her husband like that.

Marc flinched, “Well, about that…Steven why don’t you talk about this? It’s your crush.”

Steven fronted back, allowing Marc to co-front. “No, he doesn’t know about our DID..Yet… It’s only been a week and we’ll probably tell him when things get more serious..And when we're ready. But I don’t think he’ll judge us, he just doesn’t seem like that type of person, ya know? He’s kind and super sweet, he doesn’t even judge me at all when I go on my long rants! He actually listens, ya know? Like he doesn’t fake listen but actually listens! He even asks questions! He genuinely cares about me, like last night when I was feeling sad I called him, it was late but he still came over to see if I was okay! I mean, who does that? He works late so I guess it wasn’t that weird for him to be up at such hours but still, he must have been tired from work! But he took time out of his day for me!” Steven took a deep breath and looked away bashfully, knowing that he’s going on one of his usual rants.

Layla smiles, “he sounds really sweet, Steven. What’s his name? Is he hot?”

The British man blushed at Layla’s straight forward question. “His name is Romeo and uh, yeah I guess he is..I mean, he’s like bloody super model level hot. And he’s super tall, like really bloody tall! Like 6’8 tall!”

Layla raised her eyebrow, “Really? Wow, that’s impressive. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone that tall!”

Steven nodded his head, “Yeah, I barely reach his shoulders. Honestly, it’s kinda embarrassing but he’s never mentioned the height difference.” 

Layla paused, her face twisting into a frown, “Wait, you said he came over last night? What happened? Are you alright? You could've called me if you were upset.”

The amount of worry etched on her face made Steven’s heart hurt with regret. He shouldn’t have mentioned what happened last night, who knows where the conversation might end up if anyone else found out that he’d blacked out for hours.

“Uh, it was really late, and I didn’t want to bother you, that’s all. So, I called the only other person I could think of…I’m sorry, I don’t mean to worry you…” Steven looked away from the screen, his eyes focusing on the bland wall behind it.

His vision was starting to blur as tears welled in his eyes. Why was he getting emotional all of the sudden? Was it because if he said it out loud, the reality of what happened would be put out there, forever out of the swirling thoughts of his mind?

He couldn’t admit to himself that the thought of someone else lurking in their head was always in the back of his mind, like a headache no medicine could get rid of.

After the whole Khonsu thing and finally coming to terms that he and Marc had to share a body, admitting that there might be someone else was a struggle.

Steven, what happened? Marc’s voice echoed inside his head, his tone worried.

“I blacked out…” Steven admitted out loud, flinching at how his words sounded in the quietness of his apartment.

“For five hours. It wasn’t like I fell asleep or passed out, it was different. One moment I was crying and the next I don’t remember anything, then I’m opening my eyes and five hours have passed. It felt like when I didn’t know about Marc…” 

Layla’s eyes widened and took a long, shuddering breath. “I actually have something to tell you guys. Back in Egypt, when we were fighting Harrow, something happened…Harrow had you pinned to the ground, ready to strike when all of the sudden, you changed. It was like a switch was pulled and you just suddenly jumped up and decimated Harrow. The way you fought…It was terrifying. It wasn’t like Marc’s fighting style or Steven’s, it was rough and harsh. The body was fighting to kill.”

Steven blinked as a memory filled his vision: Him trapped underneath Harrow; his cane pointed at their neck. Everything had seemed hopeless, they were doomed.

But, then, their vision went black and the next thing they know, they're the ones towering over Harrow’s bloodied body.

Marc forced with way to the front, their body shaking. “No, no! There can’t be anyone else....There can’t be..”

He suddenly stood up and kicked the chair, his hands clenched into fists.

“Sweetheart, it’s okay” Layla’s soft voice called from the laptop, but Marc shook his head.

“I thought my life was finally okay for once. But, no! Nothing ever is good when it comes to me, huh?” He laughed, a short, humorless sound.

“Well, there’s got to be a reason there's another alter, right? Maybe their important?” Steven pipped up, his voice shaking.

“It doesn’t matter, I don’t want anyone else in my head!” Marc bit back, running his hands through his hair.

“Marc, this isn't something you can’t just block out again. This is important, were talking about your life here” Layla soothed.

“But if they wanted to be known, they’d have shown themselves by now, right? So, why are they hiding?” Marc argued, a poisonous thought clinging its way into his mind.

Maybe this new alter didn’t want to make themselves known for a reason. Maybe they were dangerous. 

Chapter Text

“So you want the world to stop?

Stop in and watch your body fully drop

From the time you were a

Psycho, groupie, cocaine, crazy”- Psycho by System Of A Down

Steven hadn’t spoken to Romeo all day. No texts, no phone calls, absolutely nothing.

When Steven did text him, he would get no reply. When he tried to call the other man, it would go straight to voice mail. Now, sitting on his couch, a book in his hands that he’s too anxious to read, he wonders if Romeo is ignoring him.

Maybe he’s just busy, the reasonable side of his brain explains. But the other part, the one that’s full of anxiety and depression, tells him that Romeo has finally given up on their friendship and is ignoring him on purpose.

It was like right after that night, the night where Steven had desperately called on Romeo for comfort, Romeo had ceased all talking. Maybe after seeing Steven for who he really was, sad and lonely, that Romeo decided to leave him?

But he seemed so nice when he came over. He was kind and soft spoken, his worry real and emotional as he talked to Steven.

How he let Steven touch his scars. How he allowed Steven to look into those deep brown eyes and see all the hurt that he’s been hiding behind a smile.

But now, all of the sudden, radio silence. His talk with Layla today helped a little bit but with the discovery of a new alter, it made things a lot more difficult.

A new alter, wow , just thinking that scared him. Just finding out about Marc was a life changer and now knowing there's another person living inside their head? It’s scary.

With the silence from Romeo and the fear of this new alter, Steven was not having a good day.

The last time I talked to my new friend was just last night , Steven thought with a shake of his head.

He was overreacting, nothing was wrong. Maybe Romeo was busy, that was all. Maybe his phone was dead or lost? There were reasonable explanations for his sudden quietness but even as he told himself that, a deep part of his brain knew that something was wrong.

Romeo’s never done this before, in the week that’s he’s known him, he’s never been this silent.

“His phone is just dead, that’s all” Steven said out loud, trying to soothe himself.

Tomorrow was Saturday, the day that Romeo was going to take him to that arts and crafts festival. He had a good day ahead of him, so he shouldn’t let his sour mood ruin it. He could talk about it therapy, it was in a couple hours after all. 

Marc drove them to their therapy session, a 7:00 PM session that lasted around an hour.

There weren’t a lot of affordable therapy places nearby, so he had to drive about twenty minutes away to the nearest one. It was a nice place, two stories with a cozy, lived in style indoor seating area. This was going to be his third session, as he’s gone about once every week now.

When moving to New York, Layla talked to them about starting therapy and both him and Marc agreed. It was a good idea, not just to talk about their trauma but a way to get an official diagnosis of DID.

Luckily, their therapist, an elderly man with a kind smile, was very understanding about their situation and is willing to officially test them for DID.

Finally having an official diagnosis was going to be good for them. It was proof that they weren’t insane, just a little different.

Marc turned into the parking lot of the building and parked their car. There wasn’t a lot of people here, as it was pretty late for a session. But with work, it was the earliest time they could get.

There were four cars in total, three parked near the front of the building and one red car parked in the far corner of the lot, hidden under the shade of a tree. It was a dark red corvette, it’s sleek paint shining like blood in the late afternoon sun.

A tall man was anxiously pacing back and forth next to the car, a dog right behind his heels. His lips moved quickly as he seemingly talked into thin air, his hands moving around in jerky motions.

Marc’s eyes widened and Steven forced his way to the front.

It was Romeo.

As Steven got closer, he noticed a cigarette was dangled between Romo’s long fingers, the smoke wafting around him like a haze. He was talking in what sounded like Italian, his words harsh and almost aggressive, as if he were arguing with someone. But no one was around, expect for the presence of his dog.

He took a drag and inhaled the nicotine, only to stop when he noticed Steven.

“Romeo, fancy seeing you here!” The Bristish man chuckled, his tone coming out more nervous than happy.

Wouldn’t his phone be working if he could make it to therapy? Steven thought with a grimace.

Romeo’s eyes were hidden beneath his usual sunglasses but even then, Steven could see the dark shadows under his eyes. They were almost purple, like a bruise. His brown hair was a mess and his clothes were ruffled. Instead of his usual fancy, well pressed outfits, he wore a black, Pink Floyd hoodie and jeans, both which were obviously thrown on in a hurry.

To put it lightly, Romeo looked terrible. But even then, he still looked otherworldly.

Romeo took another drag of his cigarette and turned his head to blow the smoke away from Steven. Swallowing thickly, Steven noticed that there was something what looked like dark red paint underneath his nails. Romeo’s hands shook as he dangled his hand numbly at his side. 

“Just finished a session” The taller man responded back, his voice rough and deeper than usual. It sounded almost strained.

“Just going to mine now” Steven answered back and vaguely motioned to the brick building.

“Nice.” The tension quickly turned awkward, and Steven couldn’t help but ring his hands together, his nails digging into the soft cotton of his sweater.

“Didn’t know you could bring dogs in” The British man said, his tone trying to stay light and almost joking.

He had no idea what had shaken Romeo up so much.

Romeo took another drag of his cigarette, inhaling deeply, “Tryin to get Bambi to be my service dog or whatever.” He waved his cigarette holding hand lazily towards the black dog, “So she’s allowed to come with me. For training and to keep me calm, ya know?”

He took one last shaky drag and tossed the now empty filter to the ground, the paper flattening underneath the heel of his tennis shoe. Steven blinked, scanned the cigarette and back up to Romeo, unsure of what to say.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Steven finally said “That’s cool, I’ve heard about service dogs but never really looked into them. It must be nice to have a pet by your side all the time, yeah?”

Romeo chuckled and leaned down to pet Bambi’s head, “She’s a real life saver, I can tell you that.”

Steven could understand what he met, not exactly as he’s never had a dog but getting a pet fish, helped him a lot with his mental health. Sure, they weren’t nearly as playful as dogs, but just the simple act of taking care of a fish was fulfilling in a way. Plus, seeing Gus’s tiny, orange face always filled Steven up with joy.

“Still on for tomorrow, yeah? Just wanted to check cause you haven’t been answering my texts…” Steven admitted sheepishly, his nails biting tightly into the palm of his skin.

He could do this, he could confront Romeo about the silence.

Romeo raised an eyebrow, frowned and then his eyes widened, “Oh shit! Shit, I’m sorry. I’ve been really, uh, busy today.”

He took a deep breath and rummaged through his back pocket for his phone, “Shit, it’s dead. Must have forgotten to charge it.” He showed Steven the dead battery screen.

“Oh, it’s okay! I was just worried about you, that’s all. It’s just with what happened last night and the sudden silence, it made me worry something bad had happened. But I guess that’s just my anxiety thinking, ha…” Steven mumbled out and loosened his grip on his palm.

“You were worried about me?” Romeo suddenly asked, his nervous body language turning abruptly still and rigid.

Steven frowned, “Of course I bloody was! You're my friend. Friends need to look out for each other, yeah?”

Romeo shook his head and turned his gaze downwards, “You shouldn’t worry about me, Steven. Everything’s fine. I’m fine. Nothing is wrong, I promise..” He paused, shook his head again and pushed a hand through his unruly hair.

His words almost sounded spaced out, like he wasn’t talking to Steven but to himself. It was as if instead of trying to convince Steven he was a alright, he was trying to coninve himself. Steven’s never heard Romeo like this, almost desperate in his tone. It made Steven feel uneasy, scared and sad at the same time.

Not scared of him but scared of what Romeo might do to himself. Steven brought his gaze back to Romeo’s nails and how each one seemed to be incrusted with some sort of dark red paint. It was hard to see from his black nail polish, but the more Steven stared, the more obvious it became.

Was Romeo painting before he came here? Maybe the paint had just stained his fingers, that’s all.

“Romeo…” Steven started carefully, “Are you okay?”

The taller man flinched and smiled; a wide full tooth grin that made Steven take a step back.

It was obviously forced and almost manic, as if Romeo were seconds away from having a break down.

“What? Of course I am! I’m fine, were fine, everyone’s fine! Shit, I’m rambling again. You know what, never mind, fuck this I’m leaving. I need to go back to my apartment, get ready for work…And you're gonna be late to your appointment! I don’t wanna make you late!”

His words came out frantic and tense, as if each word burned his vocal cords. He took a deep another deep breath, let out an anxious chuckle and then turned back to Steven.

“Romeo, I don’t mean to be rude but you don’t sound okay…And I don’t mind missing my session if it means making sure you're alright. I can help you like you helped me out like last night-”

Romeo waved his hand, “No, no, I’m good. It’s okay, go have fun at therapy, yeah?”

And then, Romeo laughed . Like, a deep chested laugh you'd make after someone tells a funny joke. It was so abrupt and sudden that Steven couldn’t help but feel that something was very wrong with Romeo.

The American man said a few words in Italian, opened the door so Bambi could jump in the backseat and waved a goodbye as he got behind the wheel.

“Bye, darling, see you tomorrow!” And with that, Romeo sped off, his car a dark maroon spot shining through a sea of traffic. 

What. The. Hell. 

Chapter Text

"Moon, tell me if I could

Send up my heart to you?

So, when I die, which I must do"

Could it shine down here with you? -Mitski my love all mine

“So did that whole situation feel weird or is that just me?” Marc muttered inside Steven’s mind with a grimace, mentally shaking his head.

The British man stood there in the back of the parking lot, standing still as a statue, fists clenched as he tried to get his heart to stop hammering in his chest. The sun descending in the now darkened sky elongated the man’s shadow, making a distorted caricature of his body. Cool, newly night air blew through Steven’s curly hair, filling into the holes of his wool sweater, chilling him to the bone.

He knew Romeo was disturbed. Steven knew the man was troubled but whatever he just witnessed, was something else entirely.

It reminded him a little of his own manic episodes, where he would dissociate for days on end, lose track of time, cry and shake for hours until he physically couldn’t cry anymore. He couldn’t see if the man had been crying from his sunglasses, but Steven was sure by the way his voice sounded, Romeo had been recently.

Plus, the dark circles underneath his eyes indicated he hadn’t gotten much sleep either. That also reminded Steven when before he knew of Marc, how he would force himself to stay awake, scared that he would go “sleep waking” again.

It was the same type of bone-tired exhaustion that Romeo radiated. Plus, the strange, jerky movements and forced smiles. The way his hands had to be constantly holding or doing something. How he was arguing with himself .

No sane man did that. Something bad must have happened to trigger this episode. Steven swore, he shouldn’t have let Romeo go. He shouldn’t be alone while going through as something as serious as this.

It was dangerous.

“Hey, we should probably head inside. And then we gotta talk, okay?” Marc spoke, snapping Steven out of his spiral of thoughts.

Right, therapy.

Heading into the building, clicking the doors behind him, Steven sat down on a chair in the waiting room. “There’s something wrong with Romeo” Steven began in his mind, nerves sparking like a live wire.

“No shit” Marc responded bluntly, making the British man flinch.

“We shouldn’t have left him alone! What happens if…if…” Steven trails off, not daring to say the worst.

“What do you think he’ll do? You know him better than me, Steven. Tell me.” Marc prodded, his tone gentle yet impatient.

Even though Marc didn’t like the guy, he meant something to Steven. And Steven’s happiness came first, so if Romeo was in trouble, then Marc should know about it.

“The paint underneath his nails, did you see it?” Steven whispered, voice shaking.

“Yeah, kinda hard to miss..” Steven grabbed the fabric of his sweater, squeezing until his knuckles turned white.

“I don’t think it was paint..” Marc blanched, stunned by what Steven was implying. “You don’t mean-” 

“Yeah…” Steven muttered, eyes casted down at the floor. 

“You have to be 100 percent sure on this. You can’t just make assumptions this drastic-” 

“I’m not! He has scars, Marc! A lot of them. Like, a disturbing, fucked up amount!” 

Marc stopped, eyes wide at Steven’s sudden swearing.

He never swears.

As if the universe herself was shocked by Steven’s word choice, a bright white strike of lightning flashed over the night sky like a warning. The lightening reminded Marc and Steven of Romeo’s eye scar.

The building’s office door suddenly clicks open, stopping Marc from asking Steven what the actual hell are you talking about.

“Hello! Nice to see you again!” The therapist chirps, ushering them to come into her office.

When directly speaking to the body, Dr. Mariana never said Steven or Marc, as she didn’t want to misidentify who was in control of the body at the time. Even though she knew each person’s different mannerisms, she still wanted Marc or Steven to initiate who’s speaking. To get them familiar with their system , is what she told them last session.

“Hi, Doc. Nice to see you, thank you” Steven, slipping into her office and getting in a chair across from Dr. Mariana’s own chair.

His therapist smiled, already recognizing Steven’s accent and word choice. “I can front if you want me to” Marc said in their mind as he could tell Steven was still shaken up from the confession concerning Romeo.

“Nah, it’s alright mate. Absolute aces I am..” Steven responded back in their mind as Dr. Mariana patiently waited for them to finish.

Taking a deep breath, Steven smiled. “Hi, It’s Steven, well you could probably already tell but I should get used to saying who’s fronting, right?”

The older women nodded, “Yes, that’s correct, Steven. It’s nice seeing you again. Were you and Marc just talking right now?”

Marc huffed in their mind, mentally crossing his arms.

“Uh, yeah but I don’t think Marc is too keen on opening up about it…As always...”

The doctor nodded, “It’s in our best interest for both of you to be on board with talking. Can I ask why you think Marc doesn’t want to talk? Does it have something to do with the topic of the conversation you were having?”

Marc rolled his eyes and Steven sighed, saying “Yeah, probably. Most likely. He’s not too happy about what I told him, I think.”

“Steven, don’t you dare talk about Romeo! This our time, not his!” Marc snapped in their mind, patience running thin.

With everything that just happened, Marc had had enough of Romeo. He didn’t even want to think about him, let alone talk about him with Steven and his therapist. But then again, the concerning detail that Steven mentioned…

"Marc’s upset about someone I met recently. He doesn’t like ‘em.” Steven admitted, causing Marc to yell back at him.

The body winced.

“Who did you meet?” Dr. Mariana asked lightly.

Steven described Romeo: their first meeting, the coffee shop they ironically found each other and finally to their exciting day tomorrow at an arts and crafts festival. Steven left out the night where Romeo came over to his apartment, he didn’t want to think about that right now.

“How nice, meeting someone new! He seems like a lovely person based on how you described him. Why does Marc not like him?”

Marc laughed humorlessly; his anger so strong that he slipped into fronting for the body. The laugh escaped his lips before he could stop it.

“Ah, Marc. Nice seeing you too!”

He scowled back, “Yeah, yeah..” He didn’t want to get into the whole Romeo mess but now that he was in the metaphorical driver's seat, he could at least rant about it to the doctor.

“Where should I start? Romeo’s insane. Fucking insane . Okay, wait, I take that back because I know I shouldn’t call him insane because that’s judging him but it’s so hard not to! I don’t know how else to describe him. He’s manic, he’s weird. I know Steven really likes him but I don’t really know the guy, ya know? It’s mostly Steven fronting near Romeo so I guess I don’t have enough to judge the guy but..” Marc takes a deep breath, “He creeps me out. There, I said it. I’ve already told Steven but come on man, you gotta realize how creepy Romeo is. There’s this weird aura around him, it freaks me out!”

Steven gasps in their mind, “You told me you got over that! You said he didn’t bother you anymore! Whatever makes me happy, right? Your own words?”

Marc tugs at their hair, “Steven, I swear-”

The doctor raises her eyebrows, slightly worried but also a little amused. It was like watching brothers argue.

“Marc, what makes you describe Romeo as insane or manic?” She prompts, flipping another page in her journal to write down more notes.

“I feel like we should talk about what you just told me, Steven” Marc said outload, not caring about talking in their mind anymore.

He didn’t feel as judged when he was in here, unlike out in the open with people he didn’t know. Sure, he didn’t know the therapist long but as least she was a professional, right?

“What did Steven tell you?” Dr. Mariana asked.

“Don’t you dare, it’s none of her business!” Steven hissed, his British accent slipping through the body’s mouth.

“Everyone, let’s take a deep breath. Good communication is healthy, remember? Marc or Steven, talk one at a time please.” The older woman stated, her voice strong but not mean.

But it was too late, Marc and Steven argued back and forth out loud, their different accents blending in a slurry of colorful words and insults.

They were so focused on their argument that the two men didn’t notice the third alter lurking in the back of their mind, watching and waiting.

And when Steven’s and Marc’s words became too much, Jake Lockley slipped into the front, taking over and blurring his alters control.

As the world went black, Jake blinked opened his eyes.

“Hello, doc. Nice to finally meet you.”

Chapter Text

"Not even they can stop me now Boy,

I be flying overhead Their heavy words

can't bring me down Boy,

I've been raised from the dead"-Radio by Lana Del Rey

As soon as Romeo walked through his apartment door, slammed it close and entered the kitchen/living room, he collapsed down onto his knees.

The harsh wooden floor smacked against his knees like a punch, but he didn’t care, the pain was the only thing keeping him going right now.

If he didn’t have a constant reminder that he was living and safe, he would sink back into his past and allow his trauma to take over him once more.

Like a wave of shadow, images would flash into his mind, corrupting every good thought and memory, eating away his sanity and morality, leaving him an empty husk. He couldn’t let the pain go, not yet. He had to see blood underneath his fingernails, he had to feel the sting of a razer sharp knife bite into his skin and smell the metallic stench of his own veins.

“Τι έκανα…..what did I do…” Romeo muttered out loud, cursing himself for letting Steven see him this way.

It wouldn’t take his new friend long to figure out what the dried, dark red substance underneath his fingernails are, Steven’s smart like that.

Then what would he do? Tell someone? Call Romeo and tell him to stop hurting himself?

Would he come over to his apartment like he had, comfort him through a mental breakdown and then abruptly leave? Because that's what Romeo had done.

He had promised to be by Steven’s side through his depression episode but instead of staying, he left as soon as it got too real.

He could still remember the way Steven’s eyes scanned his scarred body. The way his warm, brown eyes softened. How his fingers carefully, gracefully slid across Romeo’s scars, as soft as butterfly wings.

Bambi barked and Romeo winced, his head jerking up to stare at his dog.

She whined and nudged her head against Romeo’s, her fur a welcoming comfort against his face.

“I know, I know..” He sighed and patted her on the head.

“I’m glad I have you, ya know that? You literally saved my life, Bambi.”

And when Romeo said that, he meant it literally. Bambi had saved him, dragged him up from Hell and back into the living world like his own very angel. Without her, he would still be done there. Shaking his head, he stood up, knees cracking as he headed over to his room.

Sitting down on his bed, he wondered if he should call Steven. Well, he was in therapy, so probably later. God’s, Romeo hoped that his new friend wouldn’t tell his therapist about him. He already had enough people worrying about him.

Bambi let out a loud “Woof!” and jumped on the bed, nudging Romeo a little more roughly.

“What?” She licked his hand.

“Right, I should probably wash the blood off, yeah?”

Jake Lockley sat in their therapist's office, arms leaned back in the overly soft chair, legs outstretched, and head cocked to the side. A small smile formed on his lips, but it wasn’t welcoming but rather full of cruel indifference.

“Aww, come on, you can’t be that surprised that there’s another one of us knockin around in this old thing,” Jake tapped his head, “With how fucked up Marc’s past is and all that..”

Dr. Mariana blinked, opened to a blank page in her journal and clicked her pen, “You’re not Marc or Steven, are you?”

Jake threw his head back and laughed, “ señora, of course I’m not. You’re a doctor aren’t you? So use that supposedly big brain of yours’s and figure out what’s going on. You can do that, right?”

He suddenly leaned forward, hands grasping the chair’s arms, “Tell me, has Marc or Steven ever have a feeling there’s another? Do they know I’m here?” He tapped his head again.

Dr. Mariana crossed her legs and gave the new alter a calculated look, “Yes, they have had their suspicions of a new alter. Someone who is causing…strain to the body.”

Jake chuckled, “Strain? Yeah, I can see that. I tend to exhaust the body. Not really good for the boys, eh? Especially the kid.”

The therapist raises an eyebrow, “The kid?”

Jake waves his hand, “Steven, the Brit. We all may be the same age but he’s still a chico to me.  .. el hermano menor..” He trails off, eyes almost glossy.

“How sweet to see them as family. If you feel such a positive way towards them, then why don’t you introduce yourself? What’s the point of hiding in the dark, confusing Marc and Steven? All this secrecy is scaring them” Dr. Mariana says, her tone kind but stern.

How was Jake going to say this in a way that this therapist would understand? She would never understand what Jake has gone through to protect Marc and Steven. How much pain and hardship than he has gone through to just make sure that the body was okay, both mentally and physically. Jake was their protector, and he would do anything to help Marc and Steven, even if it met hurting someone else.

The amount of love that Jake had for his alters was unexplainable, especially for someone who hadn’t been through what he had. She may be a professional, but she didn’t actually get it.

And that’s why Jake scoffed, got up from the couch and headed towards the exist.

“We still have time left” The therapist announces.

“Well, they’ll be here next week, yeah?”

She sighs, “can I at least get a name?”

The man pauses and without turning says, “Lockley. Jake Lockley.”

He leaves the building, gets into their car and heads back to the apartment. One of these days he would have to finally come clean to his alters but today was not that day. He had to much on his mind. Especially when it came to a certain God-child turned serial killer…He would have to deal with them first and then maybe, just maybe would he announce his presence to Marc and Steven.

A guy could hope, right?

Chapter Text

"Sucker love is heaven sent
You pucker up, our passion's spent
My heart's a tart, your body's rent
My body's broken, yours is bent" -Every You, Every me, Placebo 

Saturday had finally arrived, and Steven was ecstatic.

He had never been to an arts and crafts festival before, but it sounded like so much fun, especially if he was going with none other than his new friend (and crush) Romeo! But Steven couldn’t help but feel a slight uneasiness when he thought about the other man.

He was ashamed to admit it but after getting to know him this past week, well, Steven was confident to say that Romeo definitely had some serious issues.

Sure, everyone had their struggles, even Steven was self-aware enough to know that he fitted in that category but there was just something about Romeo that was extreme.

It wasn’t just the tall man’s actions and words but his presence. There was a strange, unnerving quality constantly circling around him, like some deranged shadow. The only time that went away was when Romeo allowed Steven to see his scars.

Instead of the usual off-putting vibes, there was a soft and almost embarrassed feeling in the room, emanating through Romeo in lazy waves. Steven knew Romeo had secrets but maybe the more the time they spent together Romeo would finally open up!

It had only been a week after all. Checking himself in the mirror, he sighed, unsure if his outfit would fit the aesthetic of the festival.

“You look fine” Marc chided with a kind smile, but Steven groaned and flopped down onto the bed, still unsure even though his head mate said otherwise.

“But what happens if I stand out! I don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb!” Steven whined, shoving his face in the bed’s covers.

“Stop that, you’ll mess up our hair!” Marc warned and Steven grudgingly got back up, trying to fix his now messy hair.

“I’ll say this again, you look fine. And who cares if you don’t fit the weird artsy vibe? It’s New York, no one will care” Marc stated firmly, trying his best to keep his brother from spiraling.

With everything that has happened, especially with what went down last night, both Marc and Steven were on edge.

After going to their usual therapy session, they remember meeting a manic Romeo, saying goodbye and then going into their therapist's office. And then…nothing.

Then, they were back at their apartment, out of their work clothes and lying in bed. It was obvious another, unknown alter had done that but why?

Taking a deep breath, Marc remembered how their suspicions had been right. A call from Dr. Medina had confirmed everything they were worried about. She had met with a new alter, a man named Jake Lockley.

She had described him as cold, distant but deeply caring of his other alters. But caring in a way that was overprotective and even dangerously so. It made sense Jake wanted to take care of both of them but in the end, Jake’s silence was having the opposite effect.

It had made Marc and Steven’s life even more confusing that it already was. Jake must be one stubborn bastard.

Anyway, to distract the ever-growing panic of the new alter, Steven and Marc put their focus on this date with Romeo. Even though Steven said it wasn’t a date, Marc was pretty sure it was.

“What happens if Romeo doesn’t like my outfit?” Steven says as he brushes down the fabric of his wool sweater.

It was oversized and frumpy but in a way that was stylish, especially in an event like an arts and crafts festival. With his dark blue jeans, Marc was safe to say that they looked rather dashing.

“Romeo is going to like it and if he doesn’t, I’ll kill him” Marc says nonchalantly and Steven tenses.

Marc’s monotone threats were going to be the death of them, Steven thought with a groan.

“Yeah, yeah, your right…” Steven muttered as he checked his hair for the last time.

“I know I am” Marc responded with a smile, causing Steven to roll his eyes.

A light ding filled the room and Steven opened his phone, revealing a text from Romeo.

Romeo: Almost there! See you soon :)

“Oh my, oh dear! He’s gonna be here any minute now!” The British man anxiously walked around the apartment, his hands clenching and unclenching.

He had everything he needed, his phone, his wallet, a small bag in case he bought something. “Oh bloody Hell..” He muttered, shaking his head.

Steven’s heart was beating so fast he thought he was going to pass out!

“Hey, just calm done. No need to get so worked up” Marc soothed, “take a deep breath. It’ll be okay…”

After taking numerous deep breaths, Steven felt a little better. Marc promised to stay with him during the entire day, so Steven shouldn’t be worried.

He was going to have a fun time, it was fine, it was fine……

A soft knock on the door startled Steven out of his rushing thoughts and making him physically jump. “Jumpy much?” Marc chided teasingly.

“Hold on-” Steven said as he unlocked the door, opening it wide with a smile instantly plastering his face.

Romeo stood there, beautiful as always, a smile also placed upon his full lips.

“Shall we?” Romeo asked and held out his arm, like some old timey gentlemen.

Giddy, Steven gladly hooked his arm to the other man’s. Walking in the parking lot and towards Romeo’s car (Romeo was driving them there since Steven couldn’t drive) he saw that Bambi was sitting in the back, her tongue lazily panting out from her maw.

She seemed to be leashed but it still startled him that she was just sitting there with the car’s top down, alone.

“Bambi’s coming along? Are dogs allowed...?” Steven asked.

Romeo smiled and reached over to pet Bambi on the head, “Yup! Isn’t that great? She loves meeting new people.”

With one last pat, the American opened the passenger side door for Steven, ushering him inside with a wave.

“Thanks...” Steven giggled as he got inside.

With how gentlemanly Romeo was acting, he must think it was a date! 

With a click, the car hummed to life, a comforting vibration that soothed the anxious man like a cat's purr. With one last final mirror check, the taller man turned the steering wheel and got out into the road.

“Music?” Romeo asked.

“Uh, sure.”

With a push of a button, soft rock music blared through the speakers. The tune of Billy Joel’s ‘Captain Jack’ filled the car pleasantly and Romeo tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, mouthing the words to the song. Steven smiled, watching the way his friend got into the music.

Romeo raised an eyebrow, “I can feel your eyes on me, hun. What ’cha looking at?”

A blush warmed the British man, his whole body suddenly getting warm. Whether it was from Romeo’s deep, New York accented voice or the fact he called Steven ‘hun”, he didn’t know.

“Just nice to see you so, uh, happy” Steven decided to say, hoping it wasn’t to on the nose for what happened the last time they saw each other.

Sure, he was glad Romeo seemed to be in better spirits, but it was almost uneasy seeing how different he was acting.

It reminded him of the first time he met him, at the pet store about a week ago. How the man had been so relaxed, flirty and just overall warm. It was so nice to get that person back but also…

What had made Romeo change so drastically and how could he act like yesterday didn’t happen?

The taller than barked a laugh but it wasn’t mean, “Steven, of course I’m happy! I’m with you.” 

Steven smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes, “Well, I’m happy as well! It’s nice seeing you again…” 

“Ask him about yesterday!” Marc suddenly exclaimed in Steven’s head, causing the body to flinch. 

“You okay?” Romeo asked, worry laced within his voice.

Strange, how did Romeo see him if his eyes were on the road...? He must have seen him move out from the corner of his eye.

“So, I wanted to actually talk about what happened yesterday? I know it’s serious and it’s probably gonna ruin the mood and I don’t want to do that! But, I’m just a little worried, that’s all. It’s probably just all a big misunderstanding, ha…” Steven trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

God’s, he was so stupid! Why was he ruining the mood like this? He and Romeo had a perfectly good day ahead of them and here Steven goes, ruining it all like he always does! What happens if this just makes him upset again? That’s the last thing he wants to happen!

“Steven, I’m not sure what you mean..? Yesterday was fine. I had to work a longer shift but other than that, it was fine” Romeo replied slowly, his eyebrows furrowing.

Steven wished he could see the man’s eyes but yet again, they were covered by black tinted sunglasses. “Oh, nevermind, ha, ha! I must just be confused, that’s all. Don’t worry about it, don’t mind me!”

Steven laughed out but it was obviously forced. He was never good at masking his emotions. Bambi let out a small ‘woof!’ causing both of them to chuckle awkwardly with how quickly the tension was thickening within the car.

“How about we talk about it later?” Romeo finally said after minutes of heavy silence. His voice was so uncharacteristically cold and lacking emotion that it made Steven freeze, his heart racing at the sudden man’s shift in emotion. Romeo’s hands were tightly gripping the steering wheel, so harsh that his knuckles were turning white.

“So, he does know what you're talking about” Marc comments distastefully.

Then, just as quickly as the facade had fallen the mask was back on, Romeo relaxed his posture, put on his usual warm smile, and his fingers loosening their grip. “Here, let’s put on a more upbeat song, huh?” Romeo chimed as he switched the radio: the song ‘Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough’ By Michael Jackson now playing through the car.

Humming alone, Romeo turned into a large grassy parking lot, cars already filling the space up to the brim. He slowly rolled the car down the field until parking in a farther back spot. “Looks like we're here!” He said, turning off the car and exciting with a slam.

“Here, let me get it” He muttered as he opened the door for Steven, who in return smiled sheepishly.

Grabbing a multicolored tote bag from the back seat and getting Bambi, Romeo held her leash as they walked across the lush, grassy field.

He looks so much more stylish than me , Steven thought with a sigh.

Romeo wore his usual sunglasses, crystal necklace and rings. But this time, instead of a more business casual look, he wore something that Steven would call artsy. A deep black turtleneck, so tight that Steven could see his lean, muscular build and narrow shoulders. A long, billowing skirt that aired out at the ankles, adorned with numerous hanging laces and beads. And as a last touch, a belt bringing it all together. Inhaling shakily, Steven could see the outline of Romeo’s wait. It was thin, almost feminine. A hand would fit perfectly around it…

Blushing, Steven forced those thoughts to leave his mind.

“There’s going to be lotta people here, huh?” The British man chuckled nervously, his eyes scanning as small groups of people began to make their way to the event.

“Don’t worry, the open air will make it seem less crowded. And if you do need a breather, we can just go back to the car, yeah?”

The shorter man blinked, unsure if he had heard him correctly. How could someone be so nice and understanding?

“Are you sure? I don’t wanna ruin the fun for you…”

Romeo’s eyes shot up, “my dear, you could never ruin the fun!”

Suddenly, Romeo’s hand softly grasped Steven’s arm, waiting and watching for the other man’s response.

With a blushing smile, Steven gladly accepted it and there they walked down the field, shoulder to shoulder, hand touching hand. 

Chapter Text

"Bring me back to life
Never let me go
Your troubles and your heart strife
I saw them

Chapter Text

"I like happy songs that sound nice
Even with their words like dog bites
Cutting through my hands
'Cause feeling is a rare thing for me" -Gloom Boys, Waterparks

The day had been going well, actually truly well.

There had been no mental breakdowns, no anxiety attacks, no sudden PTSD flashbacks being pushed into the front of Romeo’s mind like a disease.

His head had been clear of negative thoughts for once and as he looked over for the reason why, Romeo might be confident enough to come to a conclusion: It was because of Steven.

If it wasn’t for the short British man’s presence, Romeo would be drowning in self-hatred by now. He couldn’t fathom any reason why this man had such a strong hold over Romeo, he was just a human after all but somehow, Steven’s appearance was like a blessing in disguise for the demon.

Funny how someone like him could be falling head over heels for a human.

It honestly wasn’t that surprising; Romeo’s main vice was getting to easily attached so another person. It didn’t matter if they were a demon, human or neither, Romeo could form a bond that boarded on obsessive with about anyone.

Once in the past, way before Romeo got dragged down to Hell, he had a small but comforting friend group. Cherry, his mutant best friend, who was more like a platonic soulmate that anything. Then there was Ness, Gods it hurt to even think about him . He was a demon, his family so ancient that it came from royalty. It didn’t matter though, Romeo loved him the same.

They were even going to get married someday…

Anyway, other than them, he had the couple of acquaintances he formed through work but nothing as strong as Cherry and Ness. They were all he needed but now they were gone.

So, with the lack of familiar presence of his loved ones, it had formed a hollow hole in his heart, like a never-ending abyss, aching to be filled.

Romeo knew that creating a connection with anyone would lead down to an obsessive behavior he’s never shown before. It would become unhealthy and insane.

Romeo would kill for that person. He would kill himself if that person asked. He would do anything.

And here comes Steven and all those unhealthy emotions come rolling like a tidal wave and Romeo knew, right then and there when he laid eyes on Steven, he was swept under the current.

Steven was that person; Romeo could feel it.

Whether it was just as a friend or something more, it didn’t matter. Romeo would kill for that man. He would bleed and bruise and hurt for Steven.

The metallic taste of blood coated Romeo’s mouth and he swallowed nervously, his cold dead heart hanging in his chest like a weight. The memory of tearing through those guards flashed through his mind and Romeo flexed his hand, stretching out his fingers.

Instinctively, his nails began to sharpen, cutting into the palm of his hand like razors.

Shit! Romeo hissed as thick, black blood coated his now wounded palm.

“Are you okay?” Steven asked, looking over at Romeo with a worried frown.

Luckily, they weren’t arm in arm anymore, so Romeo could wipe his hand behind his back without having to worry about Steven seeing.

“Yeah, it’s nothing-” Romeo began to respond back but at the exact moment, the demon's senses went crazy, his mind flashing warning after warning.

The scent of rot and death suddenly filled the air, unknown to anyone else but Romeo, and the tall man looked ahead in the crowd, his eyes zoning in on a black-hooded figure. The figure, an average sized man, was covered by a dark hoodie, his face hidden in shadow.

“Romeo?” Steven asked again, noticing the sudden strange fixation in the crowd.

“What’s wrong?” The British man asked again, his voice now wavering.

The figure suddenly cut through the crowd, his movements quick and jerky, as he headed towards Romeo’s direction. The overwhelming stench of decay became stronger as the figure came closer and Romeo inhaled it hungrily.

Without any warning, the strange man’s memories flashed in Romeo’s mind: The smoky smell of leather, the scent of cigarette smoke and the sound of it being crushed under a boot. It was almost peaceful, until the scene was covered up by another one: the metallic, sweet smell of blood, the aroma of gun powder and rotting wood. And the sound of claws cutting through skin and the loud, throat ripping screams of people. The scene came into focus now, numerous bodies lying on the floor of what looked like a bar, all of them wearing leather jackets now covered in blood.

Romeo was thrown back into his own body and he inhaled sharply, trying to get his emotions back in check. He hated when that happened, it felt so dissociating.

But with all of the confusion came an answer, this figure was a part of the biker gang ‘Bull Dogs’, the one Romeo had slaughtered a little over a week ago. The gang was a front for a human trafficking ring, surprisingly the police didn’t find any clues linking them to recent missing person’s cases. Typical police.

So, Romeo had decided to be the one to put a stop to it. Well, he had thought he killed everyone involved but he seemed to have missed someone. And somehow, this criminal was rushing towards him, seemingly knowing that Romeo was the reason for his friend's demise.

“Romeo, who is that man? Do you know him?” Steven asked again, now shaking the taller man’s arm roughly.

“No, I don’t. I have no idea who he is” Romeo responded back, his tone calm even though anger was building inside the demon with intense fury.

“Move!” The criminal growled as he pushed past the last people in the crowd, causing them to stumble with an annoyed curse.

Now up close, Romeo could see a pale face, dark eyes and a five o'clock shadow. Heavy bags sat underneath his eyes and his cracked lips curled back in a snarl.

But what was most damning was the faint odor of Hellfire radiating off the man in waves.

Ah, it seems like this man made a deal with a demon to find me, Romeo thought with a grimace.

This is not good.

Bambi pulled at her leash, snarling and barking at the criminal.

“Romeo!” Steven gasped as he got behind the taller man, his eyes wide with fear.

A large crowd formed around the three men and people got out their phones, filming and taking pictures. Shocked and confused whispers filled the air as the strangers watched intently, not caring to get security if a fight broke out.

Humans and their technology, Romeo thought with a snarl.

“You!” The criminal screamed as he walked up to Romeo, his chest heaving.

Bambi cut in front of Romeo, blocking his path and growling at the man. Her hackles raised and tail raised in warning, Romeo knew Bambi was proned to attack any second. Whispering a few words in ancient Greek, he subdued Bambi enough to calm down, urging her to get by his side. With a whine, the Hellhound sat beside her owner but never leaving the criminal's sight.

As the figure took back his hood, the name ‘John Roberts’ popped into the demon’s mind.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Romeo asked innocently, his hands coming up in surrender.

He didn’t want to escalate this situation even more, especially now that cameras were involved.

“Don’t bullshit me, freak! You know exactly who I am!” John screamed, spit flying out of his mouth in rage.

“Uh, can someone get security? This guy seems to be in some sort of distress” Romeo asked as he looked around the crowd, hoping to end this argument as soon as possible.

A person nodded and hurried off but since they were at the far end of the festival, it would take a couple minutes before police came.

John shoved his hands in his hoodie pockets and the crowd stepped back, gasping and getting ready to run. The criminal took out a small, glass bottle with his right hand and a silver cross with the other.

“Get back, Devil! Go back to the depths of Hell where you belong!” John screamed as he thrusted the cross in front of Romeo.

If it wasn’t for the wording, Romeo would have laughed off the man’s preaching but well, the words hit him, and he still hadn’t gotten over the whole ‘dragged down to Hell and tortured for 100 years thing’.

A deep growl tore from Romeo’s throat, something that sounded neither human nor animal. If it wasn’t for Bambi being so close, Steven would have the other man had made that sound.

So, with Steven still hiding behind Romeo’s back, his sweater clutched in his hands, the British man whispered Bambi to stop growling.

“How dare you” Romeo spoke out, his voice as deep and dark as velvet. He was itching to slice the criminal’s throat and end his pathetic life right then and there but sadly, he had an audience. Plus, he would never do something as violent in front of Steven.

“Devil, begone!” John yelled and opened the bottle clasped in his hand and threw the contents inside onto Romeo.

It was water, no, it was Holy Water.

It dripped down Romeo’s face and blurred his sunglasses. Droplets trickled down his turtleneck and onto his chest but luckily, it wasn’t enough to soak him.

Sighing, Romeo wanted to laugh at the man’s stupidity and thank which over demon gave John the answer he was seeking. Because even though Romeo was technically a Demon, he wasn’t a Christian Demon. So Holy Water did absolutely nothing to him, it was just basically plain water.

The Demon John made a deal with must have left out the most important detail, that Romeo was a child of Nyx and nothing from Christian Mythology could harm him.

Romeo wiped his sunglasses with the back of his sleeve and scrunched up his nose in annoyance.

“What! What?” John gasped as he watched how the Holy Water did nothing to his victim.

“Are you okay!?” Steven cried behind Romeo and the taller man waved him off with a forced smile.

Finally, what after felt like hours, the guards and cops came rushing through the crowd to get to John.

They grabbed the man, pulling him back as they tried to get him to settle down. John thrashed and screamed curses towards Romeo, causing the cops to lock handcuffs over the man’s hands.

The entire time John was being dragged away, he never once left eye contact with Romeo.

Luckily, the man had been misinformed so Romeo hadn’t gotten hurt but there was still the lingering fear that someone out there would be the one to finally finish the job. 

Chapter Text

"Come back down to my knees
Gotta get back gotta get free
Come back down to my knees
Be like them, lean back and breathe" -Life Itself, Glass Animals 

Steven watched as the deranged man was dragged away from Romeo, kicking and screaming like a child as two large policemen took him out of the festival grounds.

The screaming finally quieted, turning into a low mummer that was now swallowed up by loud chatter from the groups of New Yorkers who had crowded around each other, gossiping and gasping at the situation that had just happened.

One of them, a young girl texted feverishly on her iPhone, a grim smile on her face. “This is def going to go viral, I can just tell” She chuckled, showing her friends her phone, which Steven could guess held a video of the altercation.

It was an awful thing, knowing that the whole ordeal would be seen all over the internet. With Romeo’s face plastered on every social media as viewers watched as a clearly mentally ill man taunted him.

And oh, no, Steven’s face would be on it too! The realization popped into his head, and he inhaled sharply, his stomach churning with panic.

“Marc, our face is gonna be everywhere!” Steven cried in his mind, not knowing what to do during a situation like this.

He and Marc had always kept a low profile in day-to-day life and when it came to their online presence, it was basically empty.

Expect for Marc’s mercenary pictures that could be directly pinned back to him…Oh, God’s! If people did some digging, Marc’s history could be found and then they’d be exposed as a murderer!

And then what would Romeo think of them then? Even though Steven wasn’t the one to actually do the killing, it was still their body. His hands had taken another human’s life. His hands had held knives and guns and had been covered in blood not his own.

He had no mental memory of the dead, no, but your body never forgets something as traumatic as that. There’s ringing in his ears and his heartbeat has quickened into a pace that’s concerning.

“Steven” Marc’s voice cuts through their mind and slices through Steven’s rapidly increasing thoughts but doesn’t stop them completely.

“We’re gonna be marked as criminals! Oh, bollocks, we’re gonna need to leave New York and move to a completely different country and change our name! And then we’ll be recluses and have to hide away the rest of our lives-” 

“Steven!” Marc’s stern voice is a familiar, comforting sound that jolts the British man out of his spiraling even if it’s for just this moment.

They both know the anxiety will just start up back again later, in the calming environment of their apartment and away from the judging eyes of others.

“Take a deep breath, just breathe. There you go, just breath” Marc repeatedly soothes in a soft, monotone voice and Steven reluctantly follows the instructions, taking one deep breath at a time.

The blood thumping in his ear lessens and his heart slows, allowing Steven to take in his surroundings in a more relaxed light. Now that his panic has reduced (for now) and all his senses are back to normal, Steven realizes that Romeo hasn’t said a word this entire time.

He’s just standing there. His back to Steven, one hand limp at his side while the other clutches his crystal necklace in a grip so tight that it whitens the skin of his knuckles.

For a split second, the British man thinks Romeo isn’t even breathing, he’s standing so still. It’s weirdly eerie to see Romeo’s unmoving, dark clothed frame be surrounded by all this color and warmth of the day.

It feels unnatural and wrong, like Romeo had been dropped and placed in the background of some cozy, early Autumn Day when he really should be somewhere else, somewhere dark and cold, like some magical forest from the stories of the Brothers Grimm Fairytales.

“Romeo...?” Steven tries, his voice barely above a whisper.

He stands next to the man and goes to lay a hand but stops, afraid he might spook him like some paralyzed animal trapped between the eyes of a predator.

Bambi whines and nudges her head against Romeo’s leg, but the man doesn’t seem to notice. In fact, he shows no sign at all that he’s even been touched. No flinch, no slight movement that would indicate he’s been touched.

“Romeo, are you alright?” It’s a stupid question but Steven doesn’t know what else to say in a situation like this.

He had no idea what’s going on with Romeo. Is he in shock? Is he having a panic attack? Since Romeo’s wearing dark sunglasses, the other man has no idea what his eyes look like right now. Are they glazed over? Are there tears pooling in the bottom of his eyes, threatening to fall down his cheeks?

“Romeo?” Steven asks again, his voice getting a little louder, more worried.

Bambi barks this time and Romeo’s whole-body jerks, his head sharply turns at the sound, so quick that Steven’s surprised he hadn’t heard a crack of bone.

“Romeo, it’s just Bambi barking. She’s just worried. I am too...” Steven says lightly.

The taller man stares down at Bambi, shakes his head and then finally turns to Steven. There's drying water smeared across his sunglasses, left over by the thrown Holy Water.

“Can we go?” Romeo finally asks, his voice so quiet and devoid of emotion that it takes Steven a second that the words had come out of the taller man’s mouth.

“Of course, come on” Steven says, lightly grabbing Romeo’s arm and pulling him through the crowd and back towards the festival's entrance/exit.

The entire way there, Romeo’s face is blank, his hand flexing and unflexing around the hold on Bambi’s leash. The dog trails behind the two men, her posture relaxed but her dark eyes still on alert at every one person that passes by.

Romeo let’s Steven blindly pull him along, as if Steven is the only thing keeping the other man grounded in this moment. They reach the exit and pass through the small tent and back out into the stretch of open grass that holds the makeshift parking lot.

Steven pulls Romeo towards the direct of the car, unsure where they should go after all that has happened. Should they go back to Romeo’s apartment, or should Steven take him to his? Steven doubts Romeo wants to be alone after this but then again, everyone deals with negative emotions in their own different way.

And Steven doesn’t want to push any boundaries with his new friend. But Romeo probably shouldn’t be alone after the obvious decline of his mental health, so Steven should bring him somewhere that he can keep an eye on him until he feels better.

Just like when Romeo and visited his apartment to keep him company during his panic attack, Steven could repay the favor.

That’s what friends are for, right?

Romeo abruptly stops and the shorter man is jerked backwards, almost tripping at the sudden lack of movement.

“Romeo?” He asks carefully, trying to understand what is happening.

“I-” Romeo gasps, pushes away from Steven, runs over to a nearby trashcan and throws up into it. “

Shit” Marc hisses in their mind, a note of disgust in his voice.

“Yeah..” Steven breathes out loud before going after Romeo.

The taller man is hunched over the trashcan, hands grasping tightly against the rim like a lifeline. He dry heaves, a sound so torn and violent that it makes Steven’s own throat hurt in sympathy.

“There, there” Steven awkwardly comforts, unsure if he should place a hand on Romeo’s shoulder or not. Steven hates throw up or anything that has to do with spit, so even though he wants to make sure Romeo is okay, Steven can’t bring it in himself to get too close. R

omeo inhales deeply, stands up and then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. Steven notices that Romeo’s hand is shaking as he does it.

“Sorry, I don’t know what came over me” The taller man mutters out, a shameful look on his face.

“What? You don’t need apologize for throwing up, Romeo!” Steven sputters out, wanting to make it clear that no one should have to say sorry for something they can’t control.

“I know, I just-” Romeo sighs, “I just want to go back home. I need to be alone.” 

Oh. “ I’m not sure if that’s a good idea” Marc says in Steven’s mind, his tone bordering on a shocking amount of concern.

“Romeo, are you sure? I mean…I don’t want you to be alone when you're like this…”

The other man turns around slowly, his eyes zoning in on Steven. He knows he can’t help it due to his height, but Steven feels as if Romeo is towering over him, threatening and prone to attack like a wild animal.

“When I’m like what..?” His voice is dangerously low and pinched and Steven instinctively flinches.

“I..Just…...I don’t want you to be alone when you're dealing with negative emotions, you know? A good friend would help you through those, yeah?”

Romeo cocks his head to the side, his movements almost unnatural, “You really mean that?”

There’s another question in his voice that Steven can’t decipher, something unsettling and it makes his skin itch with discomfort.

“Yes, Romeo. I mean it with my whole heart.”

Romeo’s chest hitches and slowly, suddenly, a small smile places itself on his lips. “You're so sweet, you know that? What did I do to ever deserve you?” He chuckles and shakes his head, as if the question is so insane that it baffles him.

Steven stands there, unsure of what is so funny.

“I’ll drive you back to your apartment, okay? It’s been a long day” Romeo explains, now being the one dragging Steven along to the car.

Oh, how the roles have changed so suddenly.

“But-” The British man argues back but Romeo raises his eyebrow, challenging. Steven closes his mouth.

The minutes fly by in a blur: The two men getting into Romeo’s car, Romeo driving Steven back to his apartment and saying goodbye as if nothing had happened.

Now, as Steven stood in the middle of his quiet apartment, breathing in the missed presence of Romeo, did he question what the Hell had happened back at the festival.

“Who was that man? And why did he throw Holy water at Romeo?? Did you see how angry that man was? It was…unnatural...” Steven questions out loud, now able to do so in the comfort of his apartment.

“All of this, this whole situation, I don’t like it, Steven. There’s something seriously wrong about it. Something…weird. Romeo is hiding something from us. I think he knew who that man was…” Marc responds, voice thick with emotion and oncoming anger.

“But why would Romeo lie to us? And what about?” Steven asks back, disbelieving Marc’s theory. 

“I don’t know but we need to find out as soon as possible.” 

Chapter Text

"In the shape of things to come
Too much poison come undone
'Cause there's nothing else to do
Every me and every you" -Every you, Every me by Placebo

Jake Lockley was a man of few words and many talents, making him the right person to get a job done quick and clean.

He didn’t have time for any sort of dramatics but sadly, in his line of work, criminals tended to be over dramatic, brash and loud like a spoiled, bratty child.

But Jake always put those antics to a quick stop, either killing the criminal with a swift dagger to the throat or a close ranged bullet through the head, earning him, at long last, the peaceful quiet he deserved.

All those stereotypical villain rants that criminals did were so overdone and redundant nowadays, so every time he heard it, the words turned to static in his ears.

He wasn’t there to hear their sob stories, he was there to get the job done, easy, merciless and efficient.

That was how Khonshu’s avatar was supposed to act and lucky for Jake, he was filling the position with ease.

Well, he was, before that damn psychiatrist told Steven and Marc of his existence. It was Jake’s fault though, he had gotten so emotional over his brothers that he had triggered a switch, exposing his once well hidden identity.

He wasn’t a secret anymore and Jake wasn’t the only one that was angry about it. That old bird, Khonshu was livid that his loyal avatar would go and do something as stupid as revealing himself to his former fist of vengeance.

But he couldn’t hide his existence forever, it just wasn’t possible considering Marc and Steven had started therapy and sooner or later the discussion of unexplained blackouts and loss of time would pop up.

It wasn’t Steven or Marc, so who was it? Then, that would lead to the potential explanation of there being a third alter and then boom, the discovery of Jake.

So, in Jake’s opinion, whether Khonshu liked it on or not, it was best for his head mates to know there was another person living inside their head.

Plus, he could warn Steven about Romeo and tell him to get the hell away from the guy. They didn’t need someone like Romeo in their life, someone so dangerous, unhinged and just overall intense.

He is the literal embodiment of insanity, so it's not a surprise to know that, well, Romeo was crazy.

Steven and Marc don't need anymore drama in their life, especially with what they’ve gone through this past year with Ammit. They had literally died and gone to the ancient Egyptian afterlife!

None of them deserve to have to deal with an unstable deity, no matter how much Steven thinks he likes him.

So, as Jake lingered in the back of his headmates minds, listening to their argument about Romeo’s true identity, he couldn’t help but laugh. Perfect timing and all that crap, right? 

Steven bolted up right, eyes wide as he whipped his head around, “did you hear that? That laugh? Was that you, Marc?” 

“No…It wasn’t. And it wasn’t you, so..?”

Steven grabbed a nearby mirror and shoved it towards his face, eyes searching frantically looking for anything out of the ordinary.

“Hello? Is that you, Jake?” He asked, voice hesitant and shaky.

“Jake? Mate, answer me, please! I need to know you’re real or I'm going to lose my mind, like, for real this time!” Steven breathed out, the tips of his fingers smudging the glass of the mirror with sweat. 

Jake let out a deep sigh, his whole body sagging as he debated what his first words to his brothers should be. He did want to make a good impression, no matter how ruthless and protective he could be.

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m here,“ Jake finally decided on, voice tense and monotone. 

Steven gasped, his lips turning into a pleasantly surprised smile, “Oh my stars, you’re real! I just knew it, I knew that there was someone else in our head! But why did it take you this long to introduce yourself? It would’ve helped me and Marc a lot if we knew of your existence… You know, without thinking we’ve gone totally mental, or at least more mental that we already have…” 

“I apologize but you must understand, it was for your own good. For both of you. Knowing that I exist…It would change a lot, yeah?” 

“For our own good? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Marc chimed in, words clipped. 

“Alright, Marc, no need to get so angry. We shouldn’t fight the guy on our first meeting” Steve snapped back at Marc, causing the ex-mercenary to roll his eyes. 

“Anyway, I’m just glad to finally meet you! Do you have a last name? A secret job? What do you do when you front? Layla told us about the black out back in Egypt, when we were fighting Harrow and how you saved us!”

Marc groaned and mentally pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, “Steven, enough with the questions! The first thing we need to know is why this new guy kept it a secret from both of us, for who knows how long!”

The British man shuffled awkwardly, paused and with his eyes going wide, threw the hand mirror on the couch and walked up to the three-mirrored vanity standing beside their apartment’s door.

Steven stood in front of the right mirror. “There, now we can see all of us!”

Marc reflected in the middle of the mirror, eyes hard and arms crossed while Jake stood to the left, wearing a cabby hat, his eyes soft yet calculating. 

“I’m sorry for having to keep this all a secret but you have to understand, It was necessary,” Jake explained with a wave of his hand, a grimace permanently placed on his lips. 

“Bullshit!,” Marc snapped, looking over to where Jake stood, “You were taking over the body without us knowing! Doing God’s knows what! How are we supposed to believe you when you’ve been secretly in our mind, watching and listening to all our conversations?”

Jake’s grimace deepened, making his whole face scrunch with it, “Calm down, brother. I haven’t been here 24/7, I come and go as well, just like you did when Steven was fronting all the time. And you know what? It’s kind of hypocritical to be so angry at me when you did the same thing to Steven.”

“What are you talking about?” Marc barked, uneasy.

“Like how you kept your identity secret to Steven? Poor kid was living his life without knowing there was someone else in his mind. Must have messed him up pretty badly, finding out he’s an alter for you.”

Steven glanced at Mark, “You know, he’s kinda right.” 

“Shut up! Both of you! Jake, how long have you been here? Why are you just showing up now? What do you want with us?”

Marc snapped, almost pleading. He couldn’t go through this again. He just couldn’t. 

Jake took a long, deep sigh. “I’ve been here since the beginning, Marc.”

“Like with Khonshu?”

“No, Marc. Since we lost Randall. And all the years after.”

Marc flinched, his whole body shaking at the mention of his dead brother and the horrible years that followed after his death. His heart ached, his chest suddenly feeling heavy as he thought over Jake’s words. “Why? Why are you doing this to me? To us?”

Jake took off his hat and slid a hand through his hair, eyes down casted, “It was about time I became a part of the family, yeah?”

“But Marc has me! Why does he need someone else? Oh no, am I being replaced?” Steven gasped, his words muddy as tears pooled in the corner of his eyes. 

“No, hermanito. You’re not being replaced. No one is. I’m an important part of Marc, just as much as you are to him. You help Marc with his emotions by bringing joy and happiness. You help calm him down when he’s deep in those fucked up thoughts of his and keep him steadied, focused. You’re the comfort that Marc needs in his life and I’m the dam to his river: keeping hold of all those memories he doesn’t need to remember, keeping the body safe physically, holding us tight and sturdy so no cracks split us even more than we are. It’s my fault I wasted all this time; I should have been better and for that, I again, apologize.” 

The tears welling in Steven’s eyes finally fell, sliding down his cheeks and falling off his chin, wetting the collar of his sweater.

Marc didn’t meet either alter’s eyes, his posture guarded, his teeth grinding together, forcing his mouth closed in the fear of accidentally saying something that would show just how scared and angry he was. 

“Well, I’m just glad you’re here now, mate. Really, truly glad! I wonder if that old bird knew about you and just didn’t tell us! Sounds like something he’d probably do, ha!” Steven laughed humorlessly but stopped when he saw Jake’s face drop. “What is it, mate? Something wrong?”

Jake shifted on his feet, twisting his hat in his hands nervously, “well, there’s probably something else I should tell you…Just, you have to understand my point of view, yeah?”

“Okay…” 

“I’m Khonshu’s new fist of vengeance. I….Well, we technically never stopped working for him. So, there’s that..”

Marc’s head snapped back up, took over the body and then punched the left mirror until there was nothing but shattered glass.