Let's get this started

The two reacted accordingly, but there was something off avout this. There was something the two of them were hiding, but again it wasn't his place to speculate. Saige wasn't sure if the daemon was reachable at that point, but as he got up, ordering the seraph to follow they of course did. However the fury they were met with outside made them wish they had stayed. Saige looked to the flower, their eyes widened as they tried to step away, though they felt like every word that was spoken was assuming the life they had lived. But again, she didn't know about their past, and how could they? As she so quickly turned away, the fell back, hitting the ground but most of the damage went to their palms. Tiny stones lodging into their hand, making their eyes water as the first couple of layers of skin was scratched off. Just sitting there for a while before they got up. "Where to next?" They asked quietly. They just wanted all of this over with at this point, but they had a feeling that there were still a few stops on that list. Their shoulders were trembling a bit as they followed the daemon back to the car, hiding their hands a little and if Callan tried to look at them they just shook their head no. They would deal with this. Callan had said it himself that he didn't have time to tend to them.

Heading home made them think that perhaps Callan was going to punish them for the behaviour at the club. It was so hard to read the daemon unlike the flower and the stranger. They eventually just sat silently in the car, their palms stinging from the small rocks and other debris. Even wondering if it was going to get infected. But then again, maybe that served them right. The daemon beside them was also very quiet. Well he was usually quiet, but this felt more like he was setting up scenarios in his head. When they arrived at the home, was it really a wonder that Saige hesitated to get out and back in? Maybe not.
But they did it, entering the house and walking straight to the bathroom with their head down. They didn't even dare apologize if the daemon would turn explosive on them. Running their hands under the water in the sink they grit their teeth, trying their best not to whimper as they tried getting the debris out. It stung a lot. Luckily a pair of tweezers were helping, but the rocks were now wet and slippery as well. They ended up accidentally lodging the tweezer in their hand making them yelp out in pain before subduing themselves. Dropping the metal intrument, they saw as the blood mixed with the water and they started to feel dizzy. They turned it off, managing to sit down on the toilet with sweat on their forehead. Yeah, they really didn't like blood.

When the daemon entered they didn't really have the energy to fight back. It was hurting quite a bit, and it wasn't like they could heal themselves. Beside that, their tears were worthless, and it was perhaps why they were so good at wasting them. As Callan pulled them with him, they had no real choice, and while the water pressure made them whimper, looking away to not get dizzy by the sight of blood. It was finally over. The relief of the water not hitting their hands was nice, standing there a bit spaced out before the daemon returned with bandages. At first they wanted to do it themselves, but the he vetoed it and started wrapping them. Saige wasn't so used to being catered to this way, and it made them feel guilty.
When their hands were wrapped they tested to make sure it wasn't too tight or too loose, but it felt pretty good. A small part of their mind started to wonder if it perhaps looked better to be wrapped up like this around the daemon if they were out and about. But then again maybe no. Callan hadn't mistreated them at any point. In fact he had been quite considerate. The urge to apologize they pushed down, looking instead to the man who practically owned them. "Thank you," they said in a genuine tone. If they couldn't say sorry, they could at least thank the daemon from time to time. "But you made it clear you were busy .. I just didn't want to be in the way of your schedule."

Callan was trying not to be angry with him, and Saige could see that rather clearly. He was distant and cold, and it just made the seraph feel even more awful. Maybe that was why they didn't stop him as he went to his car. They walked over to the window, looking out to him, watching him get in and driving off. This felt awful. But there wasn't much they could do right now, and especially not with their hands being wrapped up like this. So they decided to just go change into something else before sitting down on the couch, pulling their knees up under their chin as they just stared out in the room for a good while.
They felt a bit anxious being left alone like this, so they tried laying down, maybe have a nap? But alas being on the couch felt bad, so instead they moved toward their room, however stopping in front of the door to Callan's room. The door was open and the bed still undone from the morning. Perhaps they should've just kept going towards their room, but it was like something within them just drove them to the bed, crawling under the duvet. The smell of the daemon made them feel safe while he was gone. Eventually they actually did fall asleep.

Saige half woke up when Callan got into bed, but they didn't seem to oppose getting into his arms. In fact they were pretty much reaching for him, "Dant.." they muttered, but was too tired to finish the name as they snuggled up to him. He was warm and comforting in a way that he shouldn't have been. The night went by as if they had just closed their eyes.
Waking up they blinked lazily with their eyelids struggling to stay up. However that changed as they noticed how hurt the daemon was. It was strange how they didn't even hesitate, just went straight to healing him. They had perhaps grown attached. What was it called again? Stockholm syndrome? Regardless Saige didn't really care, because what was important right now was that the daemon got healed properly. And the seraph knew that the more skin on skin contact, the better the healing was. A little nervous they got out of their shirt, pressing their slender chest to the strong muscly man they were laying next to. Already from that they could see how fast the healing went as they just closed their eyes to focus. Somehow they wished they could do more than this, but in the end that was up to the daemon himself.

The order didn't deter them, but the hiss and the grabbing of their shoulders made them freeze. Frankly they felt a little exposed, pulling the duvet up to cover themselves but they didn't dare look away as the daemon spoke. His fingers were digging into their skin, and they knew there would be bruises just from that. He then spoke of what he had done and Saige's eyes filled with tears. They had regretted ever saying their thoughts. Maybe they should just be quiet from now on? Maybe it would be better if Callan cut out their tongue, that way they never even had to worry about talking badly about anyone. But what they took notice of what the use of carelessly.
"Do you think I was lying?" They just asked, tears streaming down their face as they were scared and rightfully so. They reached up, touching the daemon's cheek ever so gently. Even if the brute was practically keeping them in place, it wouldn't stop them from showing kindness. "If you thought I was lying, why did you do it?" They then asked. Had the daemon found evidence? Had he searched around for clues, or simply let his anger run away with him once more.

The grip loosened a bit, but it didn't change the fact that their shoulders were now aching a bit, along with their still healing palms. It became clear that the daemon had not done his research, and it confused the seraph. He seemed like the type to know everything in and out. But at the mention of family they frowned slightly. Though none of it made sense. If she had in fact been in trouble or anxious about something like that, then they would've been able to see hints of it. What they had seen was much more .. sinister. They couldn't really describe it, call it a seraphim hunch, but there was something off with Tulip. But maybe Saige was biased in that.
"I saw jealousy," stating the obvious firstly, because anyone would've been able to spot that. "But while you were talking, I overheard some of the servers," they admitted, looking down as they felt bad for snooping around like that. Though it wasn't like they had had any bad intentions they presumed. "And they spoke of how Tulip frequented there more and more without the Garden knowing it," was the seraph really wrong for believing that? They hadn't found any other reason. "And the way the guy was sitting .. he was so open in his body language, but he was lying with his eyes." Shaking their head no they just curled up again, tears streaming down their face. "You should've killed me instead." The guilt was finally getting to them once more.

They were pushed back, blushing as they tried to cover themselves up. They weren't sure why. Just a second ago they were trying to push their chest to his, but now it was like showing everything that was wrong with them. All of the scars. All of the burn marks. Looking up at the daemon, they felt a lump in their throat, unsure of what to answer, and as the cold remark came their way they felt a scary chill down their spine. However they remained where they had been pushed down, just laying there and rather defenseless when you compared it to the daemon's actual strength. He could so easily rip them in half.
Slowly they sat up, pulling their shirt over their head, before looking to the daemon. "I suppose what I'm going to do is live with it," though it wasn't a way to fix it. Frankly they couldn't see how they would ever be able to fix it. But then their expression turned upset. They got up and out of bed, stumbling a bit as their body still felt rather tired, still trying to heal from it all, and now they had the bruises to worry about as well. They looked to Callan, something of a spark in their eyes, but it was probably drowned beneath the tears. It was like all of their theories were finally falling into place. "Don't touch me again," they just said in a sad tone before leaving the room, storming into their own room and closing the door. That was when they really broke down, because now they knew why everyone eventually ended up hating them. It was a vicious circle. One of cruelty and pain. And in the middle of it all sat a broken seraph with nothing to offer, not even their own life.

Crying didn't make it better. It only made it worse. They were exhausted and hurting all over. The thoughts and memories of Tulip just running wild. The guilt was just in them now. They couldn't let it go. They needed it to stop! Laying down on the floor they soon enough began to feel their body ache against the hardwood flooring, but it did not help in soothing them. I told you you brought about bad luck; You're a freak of nature, Gideon's voice rang in their head. Saige pressed their hands to their ears, trying to drown out the sound by humming. This wasn't real. It was all in their head. You wouldn't have been missed, but Tulip .. Tulip had a family that loved her. And what did you have? "Nothing," they whispered, finally answering the voices in their head. Had they just lost their sanity now?
You know what you have to do; Or do you want me to do it for you? The voice asked in a sinister tone, but Saige just shook their head no. They didn't want to. They just wanted to lay there and waste away. You know what will happen if you don't do it. The seraph sat up, shaking like a leaf. They managed to crawl over to the small desk they had, a few pens and pencils laying about from their art tools. So creative my sweet Aran, the voice egged them on as Saige was slowly sharpening the pencil. It just had to be sharp enough to piece their skin. Good, now on three; count it for me now, "one .. two .. three," they counted in a shaky breath before yanking the pencil into their thigh, whimpering in pain as the blood started dripping out. "Do you really think that's enough to make up for a life? The voice was taunting them now, and Saige was laying on the floor with a pencil in their leg, covering their mouth to be quiet. This was their own demons they had to fight. Pulling the pencil out they yanked it back in another place, groaning as they collapsed on the floor. The smell of blood was slowly filling up the room, and they knew they would have to puke soon enough. "Now your hands. You don't deserve to have your hands heal up now, it said and Saige shook their head, unraveling the nice bandages, pulling the healing skin away as they whimpered. This was truly a horrifying sight.

When the daemon entered the seraph was shaking, pressing their bloody hands to their ears to try and not hear the voices in their head. As Callan grabbed their wrists they tried to fight back in pure fear, because here in the darkness they weren't sure if it was Callan or Gideon. But did either of them even care? Even truly care about what they were going through? They were an object. A humanoid livestock that could be chased, hurt and slaughtered upon the will of its owner. When the daemon finally let go, the seraph scrambled together, curling up in a ball. They looked on horrified as the daemon stabbed his own leg as well, the statement ringing in their ears before the voice returned.
Why do you always have to hurt others? You're such a waste of space. The seraph covered their ears muttering softly, "shut up," before the voice chuckled, do you really think you can get rid of me? I've lived so long inside that we've grown into one being. Shaking and shivering the seraph was clearly having a mental breakdown. Poor little Aran, everything always have to be about you, "that's not true," the seraph whimpered, covering their ears once more. "Get out, get out getout geto.." They felt themselves hyperventilating at that point, despite it they tried to speak before a dry cough entered. Always playing the sick kid card, huh? Well good, I hope you choke on your own spit.

The arm around them made them flinch, clearly afraid of getting hit or worse. Their name was called but it was like the voices were so much louder. That daemon doesn't care about you - Nobody does! The voice getting increasingly maniacal, making the seraph gasp for air, coughing as their face was turning red. They should've maybe mentioned that they usually carried around an inhaler. But they hadn't used it for a year or so now! The daemon placed his forehead against their own, and in a moment of clarity they seemed to be able to understand what he was trying to make them do. Come on, don't buy into that bullshit! You saw how angry he was at you! But with a bit of a hiccuping breath they slowly started getting back to normal breathing. However their cough didn't go away, but they were far too out of breath still to even explain it.
Frankly they hadn't noticed how they were now practically clinging onto the daemon, as if they hadn't just told him to never touch them again. They were weak. Even if someone hurt them they would forgive them the next second. Were they perhaps too naive? Yes, very. But it was just something ingrained in them. How Gideon would lash out at them, hurt them and torture them, only to pick them up and proclaim how much he loved them. It was pure torture, but it was all Saige had ever known up until the point where they ran away. They breath returned to normal, only a small rasp in the back of their throat that they were dryly coughing at.
Looking at Callan they moved their hand up to his neck, just resting a few fingers against the daemon's pulse. It at least feel good to know that they weren't alone right now, as selfish as that was for a thought. "You shouldn't have seen that," they coughed, having to cover their mouth to not be rude.

The daemon was right. That night a lot of things had happened that really hadn't been necessary at all. But they had happened, and as Callan patched the two of them up, Saige eventually ended up falling asleep next to the daemon from pure exhaustion. They were still battling with the cough for the next few days, or at least until they got a hold of an inhaler. Once they did, it felt so much better to breathe, that was for sure. At least the daemon had turned more soft on them after that, though they doubted that they truly deserved that. However they were grateful. And it felt like things were getting back to normal.

Until the one day. Saige had been cleaning the whole house before settling in and doing some painting on their own. They had turned back to art, seeing as now they had a good amount to be creative in between their studying. However when they heard the sirens and the struggle outside they came running. When they saw Callan on the ground they went to him, panic in their eyes before they looked at the officers. "Stop hurting him," they pleaded with them, looking to the daemon confused and scared, "what's going on?" of course they knew that Callan wasn't the example shown of a lawful citizen if you were ever to look it up. But Saige felt connected to the daemon after staying with him for so long. He had even gotten them access to buy some clothes that fit them better.