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afterthelastreset · 3 years

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Rules Of One’s Soul Ch24 A Final Understanding

( Warning: Past abuse mentioned. Also the part about souls is not relationship advice, this is just my headcannons for how monster souls work. Mak belongs to @alois-toussaint )

A clock ticked off in the corner of the home, showing the hours as they ticked by. But neither of the two men had slept for that time, two busy preoccupied with the situation at hand. A calm soft paw, ran through shiny white hair. It shimmered brighter than the light of the fireplace that crackled in front of the three, as they all laid their on the old couch. ...But only two were really awake, one being the owner of the paw that gently soothed the unconscious worm monster. Seam was staring blankly into the fireplace, button eye spinning and humming a lullaby of all things. Strange but it was better than the silence or ticking of the clock, and it helped to ease the nerves of the other awake man who was curled up very similar to a cat. Half laying on the chest of the unconscious man and half leaning against Seam, Jevil's face a mix of worry and determination as he pressed his ear to Rouxls's rising and falling chest. Listening very carefully to the calm breathing of his lungs, and the thumping of his soul. Making sure that both had a smooth rythme and his ear constantly twitched, listening for any signs his soul mate might've been in danger in anyway. Even as he slept, the duke looked worried about something, but so far nothing else had happened.

Until Seam stopped the lullaby and took a giant intake. Taking a moment to look back to the two people he held in his lap, and sighed. This was not what he was expecting when he closed up shop today, when Jevil burst into the sheap store front with an unconscious worm monster dragging across the floor. He had been just finishing up repatching his old magician cloak. It had been a little over a hundred years since he wore the thing, and it had been in rough shape, but with his expert skills in repatching himself, he was able to fix it up back to it's almost former glory. Just sewed the last stitch, too. Until a loud bang sound went off,like a gunshot, he flinched hard and his fur stood on end. Whirling around to the front of the sheap entrance just as the first shouts came thorugh.....But that wasn't what was so scary about it.

It was the calling.

A wave of energy pumped out, and his soul thumped hard against his chest. The energy wave he felt from other two entities were the exact same as his, and the emotions with the waves of energy made him stand to his feet. Ever have that feeling when you watch someone perform something dangerous you get that weird light feeling in your feet and your body tenses up, fearing the worst and on edge even if nothing happens? That was what he felt but way stronger. Jevil had felt it in a similar fashion. After the wave of rage that he had be confronted with by the duke, he was left absolutely stunned. Not being able to do so more than just blankly stare when everyone slowly got back into their position of cooking, when it hit him. His soul had reacted first. He had actually given a yelp when his own soul crashed against his ribcage and began beating a mile a minute. A wave of fear made his body freeze and his yellow pupils shrank down to those pinpricks.....Rouxls was calling for him. It was like someone shocked him and made a serge of energy shocked through him, everyone was taken aback at the purple blur that bulleted out of the doors with a bang and down the hall. Eyes darting around, lungs heaving, and every nerve stood on end. He didn't know what purpaled him to his office, but he didn't hesitate with the energy waves hitting his ribcage harder and harder, so he didn't hesitate to bullet his way in there and found the duke. Bent over his desk. Sobbing hard and messily into the papers on his desk ....A blue light emanated from under his hunched over form and his stomach dropped at what he was seeing. Immediately he had yanked the duke up to him and once the two made actual physical contact, it only got worse. The two souls pulsated upon meeting a third of the requirement needed for the entire triangle. And Jevil new full on well what that meant when panic shot through him and both souls now began thumping hard. The beats ringing in his ears and the fear and sorrow radiating off of the worm became too much as both went calling out for the third.

"HOLD ON!! HOLD ON!! IM TAKING YOU TO SEAM RIGHT NOW, NOW!!"

He didn't know whether or not the sobbing duke heard him as he could barely hear himself with the intensity of the feelings and energy waves. But he forced himself to summon magic when he sucked in a breath and the familiar spinning feeling engulfed the two of them fully. The worm completely went limp in his arms, most likely passed out from the feeling of being teleported, so when they landed, they slammed down hard onto the sheap's musty smelling floor and Jevil ended up under his top half. Fear and panic still spiking in him.

"SEAM!! SEAM, HELP ME!!"

The adrenaline still pumping in his veins as he crawled out from under the duke's completely limp body and stood onto shaking legs. The waves were still coming and their souls were not letting up on the assault of beats and energy waves. Seam came immediately, but froze in the doorway when he saw the small shape of Jevil heaving Rouxls across the floor towards him. Absolute panicked expression on his face. Immediately the cat made his way over. Jevil could easily feel the final and third piece of the calling finally make his way to them souls thumping in anticipation for his. And when the shocked and wide eyed cat immediately bent down and placed a paw on Rouxls's chest, Jevil's hands grabbing and sinking into his soft fur.....It stopped. The calling. The energy waves. The hit of emotions and thumping of souls against rib cages....It all stopped. Like it never happened. Jevil was heaving. Blinking and holding onto Seam for dear life as his body shook and shivered. Blinking as his soul slowly began to go back to thumping at a normal pace. With what strength he had left, his ears went back against his head as he forced his shaking head to look at the unconscious duke on the floor...No more calling came from him.

"Jevil." He flinched and whipped up to Seam who turned his one good orange and black eye to him. ".....What happened?"

The little man blinked up him before those clawed hands gestured towards the unconscious Worm. "DON'T TELL, DON'T TELL ME YOU CAN'T FEEL IT SEAM!! HIS SOUL WAS CALLING TO US!! DISTRESS, DISTRESS HARDER THAN I HAVE SEEN, SEEN!! IT WOULD NOT LET, LET UP UNLESS BOTH PRESENT FOR THE OTHER HALF!!"

"...." Seam stared at him, scared expression still present on his face. "...Yes. I can feel the past effects from it."

"Will he.." He glanced back down to the scared man. "Will he be alright?"

Seam didn't answer at first. His eye staring down at the unconscious worm under his paw, Rouxls's heart and soul were beating at a normal pace for someone sleeping and his cool body didn't look any worse for ware. They were lucky Jevil found him so soon. Jevil watched as Seam shifted to both his knees, leaning over the duke and using his arms, carefully shifted them under his lump body. The imp watched as Seam carefully brought Rouxls up into his hold and ever so slowly, stood. Looking over Rouxls one last time before turning to the room in the back and began walking.

"Yes. But he'll need plenty of rest, and we need to be right next to him. His soul wants that, but for now let him sleep."

Which finally brought them to this situation. Like stated earlier, Seam's strange but soothing lullaby had stopped and the stuffed cat had opted to looking at the frail blue man in his hold. His stare studying and his button spinning. Paw gently rubbing his head. As one would hold and treat a child, but it seemed appropriate for the situation none the less and so it was done. But Jevil didn't seem to notice as he still kept a watchful ear on their soulmate......Until a voice broke the silence.

"This can't be continuing on like this." Jevil jumped and momentarily blinked up to the cat from his laid position, just as Seam slowly turned his one eyes gaze to him. Blank as a bourd. "He can't keep having emotions that get this bad of a reaction out of him." The paw that wasn't rubbing his head shifted and came up to gently touch the middle of the rising and falling chest, the steady beats of his soul greeted him as a welcome. "...Like I asked before-" His one eye narrowed into an almost scowl. "What. Happened?" Jevil didn't answer. Just stared at the large cat with that same small pupil scared look, until Seam shook him. "Jevil. This is not a time for games."

His harsh tone was something that made the imp wince. He hadn't heard Seam use a tone like that since-....Since he was subdued and ....locked away. His body shook at the memories. Seam's disapproving face when he stared down at the crying imp. The key in his hand giving off a shiny glint before he came to hold it in both hands. The sounds of crunching when it was destroyed and the pieces falling to his feet. The very, very blank face he gave when he turned around and began walking back towards the stairs and elevator. Disappearing into the darkness. The absolute sobbing and sounds of Jevil as he continuously rammed his small body against the bars trying to get out, arms desperately reaching for someone who wasn't there anymore. The pleading of his voice begging for Seam to come back. The constant ramming of the soul in his chest calling out for the warm embrace of the cat who was not coming back. ....Yes. He knew the last thing Seam ever said to him before he disappeared for the next hundred years.

"No more games, Jevil."

And that had sealed the deal for his soul's heartbroken silence for nearly a hundred years, always coping by smiling and filling the cracks in his soul with games which no one wanted to play with until the lightner and second prince of darkness came and they had wore him down enough to fall into a deep sleep. By the time he woke back up, the guards had already resecured his cell door back and he was once again alone in his little freedom. But the excitement and hope his three visitors brought still reinstated hope in him that someone would come back and play again. Until that fateful day Rouxls came. And everything changed. And now it just might all crumble into tiny pieces shattering their souls once more. And the way Seam was still staring at him...The imp curled in on himself.

"...Rage, rage filled his soul before I found him." His eyes glancing back to Rouxls still asleep. "...B-B-Before he was calling, calling. Crying, crying a-as he did so."

The scowl lightly lifted from the stuffed face, "Rage you say?" Jevil nodded and he hummed. " I wonder what could've triggered that."

"He was very upset, upset when Lancer did not receive his share of breakfast." Seam blinked back to Jevil as he finally sat up against him. "He kept going on about him starving, starving. Not much sense."

Really?" Jevil nodded again. Coming from someone like Jevil who barely made sense as it was, this was very surprising. As he stared back to the unconcious man, he made a choice. It wasn't one he was very fond of, and these two wouldn't be too fond of it either, but with what information Jevil had told him from a couple days ago, and his constant reactions....It had to be done. "When he awakens, he must tell us about his past. Whether he likes it or not."

Jevil stared at Seam like the cat had just smacked Rouxls while he was down. "...WHAT, WHAT?! Seam. We must not push him so soon, so soon!"

"And then what?" His face now slightly angry as he stared down Jevil. "What for the next time he faints or collapse from shock again? Put him through so much confusion until he calls us again and we would still not know why? Jevil, maybe you are alright with not knowing but I for one rather get to the bottem of this. Better to know the cause of the problem and try to fix it then let it go on."

Jevil went quiet after that and stared at Seam for a moment. Before frowning and going back into his position of laying like a cat on the rising and falling chest, not arguing but not fighting against the choice made either. Good. That meant he was silently agreeing whether he liked it or not. Seam was always the more patient and rational thinker when it came to these things. But now..All they could do was wait. Wait and sit there with nothing but the crackling fire and the ticking clock for sound, not that soothing lulluaby because it seemed Seam's attention was just the same as Jevil's for the moment. Laser focused on the sleeping worm, and not knowing when the blue man would wake up from his uneasy slumber.

....

......

..........

"One, One hour, two hours, three hours, four- ...P-Please not five hours, six hours, seven hours, eight or more, more."

Ironic to be softly singing a nursery rhyme to yourself to replace the silence, but everyone had different ways of coping with the stress of what happens to them. For him, it was peaceful meditation. For Jevil...It was singing, that's why he had been humming that old lullaby like he always did back when he was worried for stage performances or something scared him. And to be fair this was a pretty scary situation for anyone to go through. So he didn't say anything as the jester sat there shaking and singing to himself...until his eye reopened at the sounds of crying and he couldn't help but frown at the sight before him. The imp was sobbing and clutching the Duke's fancy coat shirt in his clawed hands, placing his face into the soft fabric and proceeding to shake and quiver as that song ended. Seam looked at him but didn't make a move to stop him.

"My fault...MY FAULT!! ALWAYS MY FAULT!! MY FAULT!!" He wailed out. Hiccuping and pushing his forehead more into the shirt's soft fabric. "I-I-IT'S ALWAYS M-M-MY FAULT, SEAM!!"

"....what art thou rambling out now?"

Both froze and while Seam didn't make a move at first, Jevil's head slowly lifted from it's fabric prison and shakily looked up towards the front, yellow crying eyes met mitch matched confused ones as giant white eye lashes blinked slowly and tiredly at them. The worm was still exhausted, but not tired enough to go back to sleep. Imagine his confusion when his body had first started to wake up and the first thing to hit him was the feeling of something warm and soft hugging his body, the second thing was the incredible strong sent of cotton and musty smelling dust. Which made him give a little cough...Before those eyes slowly opened from the darkness and peered out into this strange new place of senses. Now that his body no longer held the numb feelings from before, he was able to feel the weight on his chest shaking and making his shirt soaked with tears, and the giant paw still soothingly rubbing his head.....Utter confusion was his first thought, before his ears winced back from the lou shouting of "My Fault!!" coming from the small purple jester on his chest. Wha-...Was that...Jevil??...What was the fool crying about now? So he uttered the question. And now he noticed there were two darkners staring at him...What were they looking at? What was he doing here?

"R-Rouxls, Rouxls!!" He barely had time to react before the same purple blur tackled the blue man's chest. Making Rouxls yelp and become fully awake now. Eyes blinking wildly and staring down as Jevil shoved his head into the crook of hos neck and those limbs wrapped around him! The worm man blinked in surprise before that familiar small scowl came over him. But the continued sobbing stopped him from yelling at him to get off. "SO SORRY!! SO SORRY AM I!! MY FAULT YOU CALLED AND SLIPPED FROM ME, FROM ME!! *hic* FORGIVE, FORGIVENESS YOU SHOULDN'T GIVE!!"

Rouxls winced lightly from being yelled practically in his ear, but stopped when Jevil's sobs and hiccups formed a said song to his ears. ".....*sigh*" His arms slowly reached up and patted his back. Making Jevil's shakes stop. "....T-Tis not thou's f-fault..." He looked up to Seam who was still silently staring at them both. "But exactly whateth happened?" Both other men froze....Seam rose a brow and Jevil turned his head just enough to look from Rouxls shoulder to peer up at him...Another hiccup escaping him before he went back into his position of burrying his face into the cool Blue shoulder. Rouxls looked to Jevil for a moment before scowling up to Seam again with a raised brow. "...Why art thou acting l-liketh this? What happened?"

"....You fainted. Don't you remember?" His face tilted curiously as Rouxls stared away in thought, button spinning.

The worm looked straight at nothing in thought. His mind a sold blank white slat before he shook his head. The last thing he remembered was being unable to move and feeling so numb. Worried yelling. And small paws tugging on his pants, small whimpers escaping the pup's mouth as his stomach rumbled, and that spade whole in his face scrunched up in worry.

"Im hungry, Lesser Dad-"

He flinched and it all came crashing back to him at lightning speed. Lancer was hungry and no one had bothered to feed him. A rage stronger than he ever felt came over him. He yelled at Jevil. His surprisingly scared face and the sudden feelings of emotions shocking through him. The weird pulsation of energy from his soul attack-....His hand went from Jevil's back and worriedly patted his chest a few times...He didn't feel like his body was turning into dust and his soul from what he felt only beated faster from his spike up from fear...Before he sighed and relaxed back into Seam's hold. Everything still felt the same but there was a strange rock feeling in his stomach...How'd he end up in Seam's lap?

"I-....T-Tis a soul attack." He blinked up at the large cat. "Why art I not in thine healer's courters?...Lancer!!" A sudden flinch came over him and tried to jump up but his wobbly body combined with Jevil and Seam still holding onto him didn't let up. "W-Where is mine son?!"

"He's fine! Jevil left him in the kings' care." Seam answered calmly before looking back at him. "But Im afraid your 'soul attack' wasn't an actual soul attack....Your soul was calling out for us Im afraid."

Rouxls just stared at him with a blank face. Oh my. This is what he was afraid of, he was completely ready to start calming the duke when the next few words tumbled out of his mouth. "N-Nah. I nah calledeth out. I don'tst remember sending for either of thou!" ....Jevil slowly pulled his face away from Rouxls's shoulder and blinked up so confused at the Duke's now confused face. " Why art I in thine shoppe after mine soul attack!? I needst a healer after a tremendous threat like that!" Jevil was about ready to argue with Rouxls if he thought he was gonna pretend Jevil wasn't scared for him and tried to help him, he had another thing coming-..But stopped when the words tumbled out of his mouth. The three stood there watching each other for a long moment, Rouxls raising a brow when Jevil and Seam exchanged a look with each other. "....What?"

"..You really, really don't know what your soul has done?"

"...What art thou spewing out? Of courseth I know what a soul attack tis."..He gave a confused look. "Though I ponder whyeth mineself was not shatttered into tiny peices and mine dust scattered about."

"...You really do know nothing about souls." Both gave each other another look and the duke rose his brow even further. What was with those faces they were giving each other? He went to say something but before he even had the chance Seam shifted and with a grunt, stood to his feet. Rouxls giving a small whine of surprise when he did and latch onto him when the giant stuffed cat turned around and, with Jevil still latched onto him like some monkey, carefully set Rouxls and jevil onto the couch. He unslipped his arms from around him and leaned back up to his full height with a sigh. Orange and black eye looking at the confused look on the Blue sparkling face as those eyes blinked up at the cat. "....I shall explain what you should've already known. But first I'll fetch some tea, it'd be rude not to offer you anything to help your nerves." Rouxls only watched silently as Seam sat down in the couch across from them, with a snap of his paws, the teakettle over the fireplace slowly began to shake and stir and with another three teacups materialized out of thin air and landed on the table with a few small clatters. Jevil finally clambered off of him and sat down beside him on the couch, the purple menace wasn't even floating, just...sitting down and giving him a guilty look every few seconds. "Now." He jumped and looked back to Seam who leaned back into the oppodite chair and sighed. "A watched pot never boils, so while we wait, Duke. I have a few questions that I rather have answers too if you don't mind."

The duke stared at him, before crossing his legs and arms over his chest. "I nay see what I haveth to say to thou. Thou has not even answered mine questions."

Seam hummed. "Fair enough. You're here because Jevil brought you here." He pointed a paw at the downcasted gremlin. "And we didn't get a healer because a healer can't fix what Im about to explain to you." Rouxls went to speak again but the kettle that was already making weird noises gave a high pitched whistle at that moment and grabbed Seam's attention. With another flick of his wrist, the kettle lifted to the air and flew over to them, steam rising out of the little spout. Once it was above the small coffee table Seam flicked his paw pointing downwards and expertly guilded the dark liquid down into the awaiting cups. Familiar smell of sweet marshmallow filled the air, must've been darke candy tea. Once they were all filled, back onto the fire the kettle went and Seam reached down to take his cup into his much larger paws. Fixing Rouxls with a look. "Now. Tell me what you do know about souls specifically?"

Rouxls's brow could not get higher on his confused face even if he tried, before he slowly bent forward and picked up his own drink. "I...knowest that they art thine life source, and once thine shatter dust mine body will become. Simple as calligraphy."

"And what do you know about the topic of soulmates?"

Rouxls paused cup inches from his lips and gave another confused look at Seam sipping his tea. "...Tis a figure of speech to describe one's love of corseth. Likest when one calls their beloved thee love of thine life." He finally was able to bring the cup to his lips and drink the WAY too sweet marshmallow drink, but he didn't want to be rude. He was raised better than that.

The two men looked at him with different expressions. Jevil's being confused and Seam's being interested with a raised brow. "And exactly who taught you all this?"

He scoffed that famous scoff. "Mine parents. Who else? They taught mineself well..." His eyes glanced off slightly. "..even if some things were...questionable."

Jevil's body stilled and those eyes blinked. His scattered mind suddenly going on blast through his memories as soon as those words left Rouxls's mouth, back days ago on their date. Which seemed strange for the occasion but one line from that day vibrated and bounced back and forth in his mind like a boomerang: "T-They wereth very...traditional of ye olde ways. I guesseth olde habits nay die hard."....That line. THAT ONE LINE!! Made him blink and slowly look up to Rouxls who was still drinking that too sweet drink for his taste buds out of politeness, but soon the worm's eyes looked back down to Jevil once he felt the eyes of the imp on him. The two looked at each other for a moment before his brow rose again.

"What?"

"How tradional, traditional was your family?"

That question caught the other two off guard especially the worm who choked and pounded on his chest. Coughing and gagging before looking back to the smaller jevil. "W-What?!"

His eyes narrowed. "What were they like, like?" He just stared at him for the longest time before looking away and going back to his- Jevil's purple arm grabbed his. H A R D. And those yellow eyes went back to the serious angry pinpricks he first saw when they first met. " Rouxls. I want, want you to tell me. Im not taking, taking no for an answer."

Rouxls...looked slightly horrified and if it wasn't for Seam he might've fainted again. "Jevil! You could've worded it differently...But I also want to know." Rouxls looked to the cat in question as he set down his drink and gave him the same stare as jevil. "Now, then. Perhaps if we explain the REAL reasoning of a soul mate, you'll see why we're so concerned about you."....The worm didn't respond, so he continued. "I'm...not sure where to start, so I'll start from the very beginning you should have been told from the beginning." He loomed over the worm, but when he noticed Rouxls gulp his features softened a lot. And a paw gently placed itself on his chest. Feeling the soft beats of his soul under him. "Your soul is much more than just a second heart. It's a person's very lifesource. Their ...everything." His button spun a few moments thinking. "It's..hard to explain, but that's basically what it is. It's a second us in a sense. It holds one's memories, emotions, life energy-..A whole lot of you that you sometimes don't even know was there." A thought came over him and he pulled his paw away, but still leaned forward to face him. "Sometimes even folks refer to it as their concious. Tell me, have you been, as strange as it sounds, fighting with yourself? Or maybe heard your own inner voice shouting at you?"

Rouxls was staring at him like he had just uncovered all his secrets and laid them on the small coffee table to be examinated for the whole dark world to see. Inner...voices?- Yes...YES!! He had been having those, but he just thought it was his thoughts from his subconcious...Well, with how Seam just described them, they just as well might've been. It was always as this strange part of him was telling him thoughts he was thinking without actually thinking them? Or realizing he was thinking them? If that made any sense. But if he was going on by what he was being told....Was- Was this all true? Could one's soul really follow such mind blowing rules like this?!

He shook his head and looked up at him. "I-...Y-Yes. I-I-I h-havest made contact with such a t-t-thing." His hand was shaking as he pointed to himself. "Twas t-that...m-mineself?"

Seam calmly nodded. "Yes. Your 'concious' as many call it. It's usually that little voice that tells us or makes us feel certain things such as whether they're good, bad, suspicious, or otherwise. And that would seem to explain your sudden outburst and some actions around us." He leaned all the way back into the couch. "But that brings us to the second part of one's soul. They're also your magical source. Letting magic flow throughout your body and letting you do the certain magic is provides depending on the lineage of parent souls that passed down those traits. The more powerful the parents' souls the more unique the magic. Like so-" He snapped one of his paws and a small flame appeared in it. He snapped the other one and defense sewing needles appeared for him to battle. Rouxls gulped again seeing them. The needles glinting from the close flame and making the orange pupil of Seam's one good eye glow bright, giving him a menacing look Rouxls didn't think was possible for him. ...Before Seam willed away all the flames and needles into thin air to give back his calm appearance. "Remember when I explained to you Jevil's magic was soley based on his feelings and it depended on what power that emotion gave him? Well that appiles to everyone in a way. Jevil just happens to be more in tune to that connection because of the amount of power he holds. For everyone it's different. It's what's known as a ESC. Which stands for Emotional Soul Connections. Everyone has their's show up in different ways. For Jevil his ESC shows itself through his powers abilities and his eyes." Jevil gave a small smile before Seam gestured to himself. "My ESC is lied within my very fur. Not much affects me and I can easily repair myself using the calm reassuraces my creator left me behind with. Your's however...." Seam tiltes his head more, button eye spinning wildly. "Your ESC seems to make itself known in the form of your emotional outbursts. I've never met a person who so care freely speaks their mind, especially to someone who could come off as intimidating as Jevil. Which means your soul and your emotions are very strongly connected...A rare thing to find."

"......" Rouxls blinked. Not quite beleiving what he was hearing. "What...W-What haseth that have to doth with soulmates?"

He smiled. "Ah! Im glad you asked. Souls have a strange way of conveying our emotions, because of our ESC's it's also different for everyone. But one of the more important and power emotions is love, but before I get into that I must explain Soul Bonding."

"Soul...bonding?," The worm repeated back confused and curious.

Seam nodded. "It's exactly how it sounds. Soul bonding is when your soul bonds with others you are most compatible with. But all of them are based around the concept of love. The actual feeling. It's the most powerful emotion and therefore Soul Bonds are broken down in three simple catagories." He held up his paw. Three fingers. Each one popping up with each bond as he explained. "Platonic Soul Bonds are the most common. They're the ones that can fade over time or grow into either a Family Soul Bond or a Romantic Soul Bond. Platonic Bonds are for people you geneuinely care about but are people you're not fairly close too or just know. Maybe a boss, an old friend, distant family member- Something like that, and if you get to know the person it has the chance to grow into one of the other two. It's also the only one that truely fades if you and the person drifts apart. Do you understand all I have explained so far?" Rouxls...nodded. All this ESC and soul bonding was...actually starting to make sense. It was still confusing as all light! But...peices were all starting to fall into place as he thought more and more about it, and the more Seam spoke it helped. Seam however nodded and continued. "Ok. Moving on. Family Bonds are just what they sound like and the simplest one to explain. It's basically the love and connections you make with the loved ones you see as family. Mothers, fathers, close friends-.." He tilted his head. "And for you perhaps a certain little King."

Rouxls jumped up and blinked at him, and Jevil seemed to be mirroring his thoughts exactly. So this...ESC thing? It was the reason he was...acting the way he was all the time? His outbursts? His overly high senses of paranoia and feelings?? But then-

"The why art these...f-feelings starting now?"

"Well, to be fair, they were always there. Souls adapt to the different situations and environment that might change the way you feel and see things. But I believe it started when you and Jevil first sparked a long time ago-"

"Spark?"

"It what we call the reaction when someone meets their one..or our case two soulmates. Which brings me to my last bond." He settled back with a sigh and scratched at mane of orange fur around his neck. "Romantic Soul Bonds are...also exactly how they sound. They're the romatic feelings you feel for someone. Which also is the only one of the three bonds that have three catagories. Tempo- Romantic Bonds, None-Bond Romantics, and the more well known ones known as Soul Mates." He once again held up fingers as he named off the catagories and explained. "You see-...Tempo stands for temporarily, so Tempo-Romatic bonds are basically like small crushes or flings you develope for someone then fall apart over time. This can appily for divorced couples as well. None-Bond Romantics are fairly more common, you see. Not everyone has a one..or two true love. And it's perfectly possible for someone to have a soulmate but fall in love and marry someone who isn't their soul mate." Rouxls gave an obviously confused look. "I'll explain in a moment. But None-Bond Romantics are also appiled to those who have trouble developing those emotions because they have absolutely no bond or desire to fall within love. Now the power of lust and love should not be confused with ANY of these bonds. Remember that."

"....Wouldst thou pleaseth get to thine point?"

He chuckled. "But of course. Soul Mates are what I can only describe as a calling of sorts." He shrugged. "Research has found that souls can call out to another soul they have a particularly strong bond with. Doesn't nessacarily have to be romantic. But souls call out to one another all the time even when we don't feel it most of the time. When the romantic compatability of two souls are a perfect match for each other and the owner of those souls make contact, it triggers what's known as a spark. Now like I was saying-" He shrugged back into the seat again and peered at him. " The 'spark' as we call it, happens when the two souls make contact and trigger the approprete response to the romantic bond you two share. Which basically means you will start falling in love with the person you sparked with no matter what....It's a sort of sad fact, but it's something beyond our control as souls are complicated and dangerous to mess with."..Rouxls gulped remembering the many pink hearts tossed at him from Jevil's cell that night- "Which brings me back as to why your soul called out for us." Rouxls blinked back into reality and Seam's face was very, VERY serious. "Like I said. Not everyone has a soulmate, and even if one does have a perfect soulmate they can just as easily fall in love ans be happy without the person being their perfect match. But a few studies have been documented that ignoring these feelings once you do meet your soulmate could become dangerous. And I think that's EXACTLY what you've been doing, Rouxls."

Rouxls froze. Shocked at what Seam had just said to him, and Seam even said his full name, which meant he must've been serious. But looked down in shame as Seam continued.

"Souls are smarter than we give credit for. They hold the feelings we might not even know we have, but that being said, a soul only calls out for another when it's in danger or requires some other form of serious help. You've been forcing yourself to push down these feelings and I think something in your past, by what Jevil explained to me and what you've told us, is causing you to veiw all this in a very serious way.....Will you please tell us why? Duke. We are very concerned for you."

Rouxls just sat there for the seconds ticking by. He could feel the former emotions of guilt and regret coming back at him full speed and his hands gripped the cup in their hold. He couldn't....He COULDN'T tell them about her!! His soul thumped hard. YES! You can..Just tell them! It's WHAT you WANT most! To TELL someone and have them listen and these two WILL listen!! It'll make you feel better!! Just MAN UP AND TELL THEN YOU FOOL!!! I CAN'T!! His eyes slammed shut! I can't tell them about her! I can't say it!! She wouldn't want it!! She would!! She would've wanted you to be happy!! She still cared about you!! Maybe not love you, but she definately didn't not care about you!! Even if it's hard, you HAVE to do this! To get better!! For Lancer!!....His eyes slowly opened half way. ....Lancer? Whar would he do without his father?! You promised her you would look after him, therefore by extintion YOU! You dummy!! Do it for him! Do it for yourself! You won't get hurt this time....They promise-

He jumped and nearly dropped the teacup he was holding when a small purple hand gently grabbed onto his hand and he looked down to see the very..VERY surprising face of Jevil...only it wasn't yellow eyes staring back at him. It was Blue pupils...Which was dripping with sadness in the form of black tears and the shaking lips on his face. Rouxls could only watch as Jevil leaned his head foreward and pressed his forehead against him arm, as a silent plee for him to say something..And he flinched again when a giant soft paw gripped his shoulder and soon he was looking to the worried but calm face of the cat.

"....I promise we will help you any way we can. We really do care for you. Do you trust us?"

His soul throbbed and he knew the answer before it left his mouth. "Yes." He blinked surprised and sighed. Glancing to the small hiccuping imp before layinf back..Jevil still attached to him...."Where doth I start?"

"Anywhere you want. Just tell us everything." Seam sat back into the seat and tried to look composed for these two's sake. "And don't be afraid to hold back any feelings."

Don't hold back huh? Oh boy where does he start with all this free rein he has? TELL. Them. About. HER!! "Alrighteth!!" He shouted making them both jump and stare at him in surprise before he again took a big inhale and let it out shakily. Looking back to the cup in his hands in thought. ".....I...I-I-" GOD!!! He was pathetic. Every fiber wa screaming at him not to say it while at the same time it did. Tell them!! Go on! SAY IT!! DO IT!! N-no...I c-cant. They'll hate me! White tears stung his eyes now as they slammed shut with his screaming body- SAY!! IT!! " M-M-My Queen!! I LOVED HER!!"

************************************************************************************************ The usual blurs of red and pink swirled around and the halls and into the minds of the common and wealthy around the dark world. Infecting their very consciousness on the drunken ecstacy of love so would it seem. The pheromones of roses and fine chocolates seemed endless wafing through the air as an endless stream of love poisoning. It was the grand reason for this very holiday.

Love.

Love can be a powerful thing can it not? He's seen people go to war for the ones they loved. He's seen people do terrible, horrible things in the name of love. It's a powerful emotion. So powerful they had a king named after it after all. But it wasn't just bad things. Good things came from it as well. He'd happily smile at the many happy couples and happy laughter of children running around throwing paper hearts at one another along the halls or happy squeals from the occasional hathy when they receive a love letter or confession from their lovers. It was a beautiful sight he wouldn't deny, but perhaps it might've been a bit much for him sometimes. But on the other hand-

He flipped his hair back and looked back into his mirror. Who could deny his looks? He was rather good looking compared to all the other darkners. Who else had flowing white glowing hair that delicately draped around his perfect eyes and fluttering lashes? Who else could say they had many admires willing to buy something they don't need just to be near him?....Perhaps King Diamonds, but respectfully he was a marvel in his own way. His scales usually sparkled brightly and being the richest of the four kings of course meant he'd have a fair amount of suitors himself hoping to get a piece of his riches and royal status. But the king couldn't compare to the likes of him in other ways. He didn't have the charm or grace he posessed surely. He didn't have the charisma or confidence, or the romantical know-how to woo the lady of his dreams.~ And he had chosen the perfect one to court. Sure. There a few.....difficulties.

One being that she was already courted and dare say.....already married to someone. In technicality he had already lost before he even began, which should've been enough of a red flag for him to stop while he was ahead. To stop himself from doing something stupid- But we all know how the saying goes.

Love is blind.

He had to tell her. Even if she never returned his affections. He could live with the rejection, but he couldn't just keep his emotions about this whole thing up any longer. But he didn't see the consequences to his actions. As he wondered the castle, he found her where exactly he'd thought she'd be. On the balcony looking at the garden below, she really did love the peaceful veiw did she not? So with a deep dreath, he stepped forward. She heard the sounds of arrpouching footsteps and turned to him. Perfect waves of Blue and white curls around her face, plump blue lips, and a golden crown sitting perfectly upon her head. Even though the female darkner wa easily taller than himself by a long shot, she still resembled a fragile procilain doll. So danty and perfect.

He smiled up at her. "G-Greetings, Mine Majesty. I c-cometh with a ...token of mine gratitude towards thee." He smiled and did an elegant bow when he presented the rose bouquet to her. He felt her slowly take them from him and he smiled.

Her face was surprised when he turned up with an assortment of roses he knew she would like. Smile on his features....A frown on her face and worry in her voice. ""Rouxls. You have to stop this. You don't understand what this could do."

He blinked up from his graceful bow to peer up at her. "B-But..Your Highness, I-"

"Rouxls. I know." He blinked and she still frowned at him. "Rouxls. I'm so flattered you think of me so highly, but I love him." He froze..this was not what he had thought through. "And it's mad to be doing this. So I don't want you to do this anymore. Do you understand me?"

A large shadow suddenly fell over the two and he looked up into the black void of anger that was the giant spade. "What is the meaning of this!?" His head tilted from the frozen duke to the flowers his beloved wife held. And it was like adding gas to the fire. "WHAT IS THAT?!" His gaze snapped back to the smaller duke. "ROUXLS KAARD!! YOU TRAITOROUS SCUM!! HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY WIFE WITH SUCH VULGARITY!?"

He stomped forward and the worm could only scramble back as his pupils shrank.

*************************************************************************************************

The teacup fell to the floor, thankfully not breaking but what was left of the drink spilt out onto the floor by his feet. Those blue hands gripped his hair as the worm leaned forward. The tears finally escaping and pretty white raindrops finally spilt again from those storm cloud eyes. Sobbing and hiccups spilling out in a torment of thunder and lightning to match the rain tears and the storm cloud eyes. Becoming one whole storm like the one that shook the dark lands a few weeks ago. The shaking and noises of his mess making the other two look at him with mixes of shock and sorrow. They could feel the sadness that vibrated within his soul as he cried out and leaned over, Seam had his hands outstretched already in case the worm fainted again or called out, but these emotions as strong as they were, were no where near the literal storm that was the calling of his soul out to their own. Jevil just continued to sit there and watch as the black tears dried, leaving black lines across his cheeks as he watched.

"I-I..I waseth so *hic* stupid!!" He managed to croak out between chokes. It felt like his whole throat was clenching and he didn't want to speak anymore. ...No. Go on! Keep going. It's ok now. You're ok. "I t-t-thought he might've-..W-We could've been-...But NAY! She still loved him even after mineself was p-p-punished for emine crime!! I-I...*HIC* I NEVER wanted to feeleth like that again!! L-Love never again!!"

So...It finally came out. His scars. His fear of them getting near. His outbursts. His promise to look after Lancer. His buried of feelings...All of it came back to his loyaty and devotion to a Queen who had already found her soulmate. And he paid the preprocations of a secret admirer and a jealous husband. He had fallen in love with one who didn't share his feelings. All those buried feelings fighting his own new ones until it all came to a head now. Seam's paws slowly came to place themselves on his shoulders and Rouxls jumped.

"Im...very sorry for your loss. It's quite obvious you must've loved her very much, and beleive me I respect that fully. "

"...*sniff*" His eyes slowly opened half way and he hiccuped again. "Yeah?...W-W-Well I n-n-nay feel like thou does!!" He finally ungripped his head and shakily looked up at the two with a scowl. "A-All this...these...g-g-games to win me over l-likest Im some prize to be..*hic* won at thine fair tis most d-disrespectful of mineself!!" He looked back to his own hands. "I feelest like Im nay anything but a silly e-enternatinment for thou's pleasure and a-as soon as one of thee win..I-I'll best left again with NOTHING!! All this is just a silly game for you two and n-neither haveth never asked how I feel about it!!...H-How doth I knoweth that thou willst n-not...*hic* endest up the same way."

Both of them froze under the accusations of the duke suddenly thrown at them and ...a feeling of guilt settled in. Seam gave a sigh through his nose and slowly removed his paws from the worm. He no longer felt worthy to comfort him like this. " I....*sigh* You are right." Jevil looked to Seam as a frown came over him. "I won't pretend you were wrong and dance around the topic. And for that, we cannot apologise enough. We should have been more considerate." He bowed slightly while giving Jevil a small frown...

And the imp gave a frown as well. "..Y-Yes, yes. " He gave a sad look very similar to a kicked puppy up to Rouxls . "S-S-So sorry..*hic* So sorry."

A small silence fell upon the three, the only noises being the crackling of the fire and the ticking of the clock again. The three of them just sat there for the longest time, before Seam tilted his head back up, looking down at the small mess on the floor from the spilt tea. With a sigh, he leaned back into his chair and lifted his paw, with a flick of the wrist the cup flew into the air and back onto the bed, while out of nowhere a sponge flew over and began to wipe the mess of what tea was spilt to the floor. Rouxls finally moved and leaned back into his own seat and shifted his legs to avoid the working sponge cleaning up. Them all still silent as the sponge flew back to whereever Seam summoned it from and the familar smell of marshmallow hit him. Those eyes blinked and looked up just as the hot kettle floated back over the table, expertly tipping and again filling his cup with the purple, too sweet smelling drink.

"Its..r-rude to give your guest an empty cup."

....Rouxls slowly leaned foreward and reached his shaky hand out. Slowly taking the warm cup in his hands. "T-Thank thee." It was also rude to deny an offered cup of tea given to you, so even if it was too sweet and gave him a less than pleasant after taste, he drank it.

"...But, excuse my bluntness." He leaned forward a little again, crossing his arms. "But I must ask one more thing. Why did you not know anything of this beforehand? It's basic knowlwdge every school teaches every children. It's valuable knowledge to have."

ROuxls once again stopped mid sip,...and a sad look as he looked back down to the cup. "...M-Mine family waseth..tradional-"

"Yes, yes. I remember you saying that in our truth game, game," Jevil piped up blinking at him, "Old fashioned, fashioned they were with their speech you were taught, taught. But now I wonder, wonder if that's all the old ways they taught."

His blue eyes blink to him in confusion and rose a brow. "What doth thou mean?"

Jevil shrugged. "By the way they sound, sound they were not very fond of you making your own choices, choices."

Amother pause from the worm. "....Y-Yes. Yes they were." He sighed and held the warm cup closer. "They ...w-were against any choices of choosing thou's own..w-wife."

That's all they needed to hear. And it sure explained a LOT!! And well....finally...that was it. It was all out in the open. All understood. All said and over. And now the question remains...What now? Now that they all had the puzzle complete, how were they going to start the scrambled peiced of the new one? Which path shall they choose to build with, the three wondered.....Until Jevil spoke up.

"....Would you still, still be against us...being with you?" Both Rouxls and Seam looked surprised to the still upset looking Jester sitting there and staring up at the duke with a knowing look in his eyes. "...I-I..D-Dont want to be , want to be alone again..again. My soul shattered, shattered. Heartbroken, heart broken. Once by my hands..My fault once a-a-again..Please give me a second chance, chance." He begged lightly tugging on his sleeve.

ROuxls rose a brow. "Heartbroken once?...T-Thou hast been i-in love beforeth as w-well?"

''With me." Rouxls brought his attention back to te sad looking Seam who sighed. "Jevil and I...sparked before the knight had come and the king's iron rule. Our..souls were quite shaken by what happened between us long ago." He hummed and reached a paw to rub his chin. "I recken it might be because of that incident we acted the way we did all excited. But it's that still no excuse beleive me. But..perhaps if we were given the chance to start over-..Of course that's entirely up to you. And we promise not to pressure you into any descions. Right Jevil?" The imp egarly nodded.

Start...Over??

The worm's eyes went back to the cup in his hands in thought. Starting over? As in a second chance? ...He would like that actually. And..they did make you happy. He blinked..They did now didn't they? Jevil was..admittedly funny, but frustrating. He liked the way he was determined and ..interesting. He's never been so fascinated by anyone's abilities before. Despite being nearly polar opposites, the two shared more in common than he thought . And Seam...Well he was one thing he always asked for in a person. Patient. Someone who would be patient and listen to him, and unlike Jevil who at times completely blew him off, Seam..Never did once. He would chuckle and not make a big deal of what he said..But he always listened, and tried his best to understand and give his advice when he needed it..And he acually went out of his way to help him. He was the complete opposite of himself-....Actually. Now that he thought about it, all three of them were pretty much opposites of each other. Each one having something else to balance them out. They were...almost a perfect set to rebound off one another...He chuckled. Oh how funny fate could be. The other two men heard that chuckle and watched in anticipation as Rouxls finally looked up at them..A small smile on his face.

"I...wouldst liketh to start over very much."...Jevil's face to the regular Jevil fashion broke out in that typical happy grin and his tail thumped against the bed. Rouxls gulped down the rest of his tea and placed the tea cup back down before Jevil latched onto him in his typical hug fashion and burried his face into his side..Rouxls stared at him for a moment before slowly patting his back. Before looking to Seam. "..But..p-perhaps we shall begin a bit more...s-slowly this time?"

...Seam chuckled. Becoming more happy looking and smiling. "But of course. Im glad we could all come to an agreement we all like. And in return we promise not to step over any lines before asking you."

"Agreed, agreed!!"

"But..Duke." Seam gave a small frown again. "Perhaps..You should take the next few days off to relax. You went through quite a lot."

"What?! N-Nay! I still haveth thine ball to helpest with and..and everything else!"

"Topchef, Topchef is a professional." Jevil looked up from his side smiling. "He has cooked in rush, rush jobs before and has succeeded. Why do you think, think I sent you to him in the first place? Trust him. Let him, him perform his work, work."

His brow rose. "And Lancer?"

"Leave him in the care of me for one more day. I promise I shall take care of him."

"But..thou a-also needs rest-"

"My magic supplies me with endless energy. And resting even for a small bit replenishes it fast, fast. Trust me."

"Jevil has a point." Seam waved his hand and the three cups from before disappeared in thin air. "And you must rest before it is my turn to spend sometime with you. Surely you have not forgotten."

"Of course not-"

"Then it's settled. You shall rest tomorrow, and Jevil shall take over tomorrow. Do not worry. Everything will be fine."

Rouxls still looked uncertain..but sucked in a deep breath before letting it out and sighing. He was right. He just had to relax and stop worrying now. See? You feel much better now that you talked about it. You did it. No more cowering or painful burried secrets. And you're ok. His smile became must more prouder and he would've gone to thank himself too-...If a screech hadn't suddenly rang out causing him to jump and look around wildly for the source of the sound. A small blur came sliding in from the opposite shop room and stopped just in front of them!...Oh...It was just Mak. The small child was well groomed and their suit was very neatly tucked in and arranged. Much better from the last time he saw them wear it. Seam chuckled and clapped his paws again at their little pose as Rouxls breathed a sigh of releif. But Jevil blinked...before pointing at them.

"Is..Is that, that my suit?"

"Oh, yes. I forgot to tell you. I fixed it but it shrank in the wash. So I let Mak have it."

"You WHAT?!"

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