Chapter Text
Vassago eventually took their egg back to his palace at Andrealphus' insistence, but he promised to visit Andrealphus with it every day, and he did.
Because despite the rational reasons that Andrealphus had listed to tell Vassago why it was safer to take the egg away from him – he even ridiculed Vassago for always being sentimental – Vassago could tell that most of it was just the shock from the aftermath of his father’s unexpected intrusion talking.
That was why Vassago made a request to transfer Andrealphus’ custody to his palace. He knew that even though Andrealphus had been pretending to speak with his reason and forcing himself not to get close to their child, every time Vassago left Andrealphus's manor with the egg, he could see the sadness and reluctance in the peacock’s eyes.
However, the application process was more troublesome and time-consuming than Vassago had expected, which irritatingly made Vassago want to set fire to the council for the first time in his life.
Stupid bureaucracy. When being asked to supplement the unnecessary (in Vassago’s opinion) documents again, Vassago snorted angrily.
Andrealphus, who was sitting next to him holding a book that not had a page turned for hours in his hands as his mind was constantly drifting away to the egg in the cradle, looked at him in confusion, asked with pretentious sarcasm (which Vassago secretly found very adorable). "What is it? Are you having trouble at work? Finally lose your touch?"
Vassago sighed deeply, threw down the documents in his hands and lay on Andrealphus's lap, chuckling when the peacock lowered his head and squinted at him but didn’t push him off. Vassago said softly. "You can hold it, Andrealphus."
"You know you won't hurt it. You won’t hurt our child."
The look on Andrealphus’ face dropped at Vassago’s words. He took a careful glance at the egg in the cradle, the fingers squeezed tightly on the book, as if he was restraining his impulse to hold the egg in his arms. After a moment of silence, Andrealphus said slowly, voice low. “You saw how my father treated me, and I am his son.”
“I can’t let what had happened to me happen to it, Vassago. It’s your child.” Andrealphus added.
“Andrealphus, you can’t assume you will do horrible things to our child just because you are a certain demon’s son.” Vassago lifted himself up from Andrealphus’ lap and gave the upsetting peacock a kiss on his beak. The parrot raised his crest feathers cheerfully when Andrealphus reciprocated the kiss hesitantly. “You will be a good father, I promise.”
“Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, Vassago.”
“I know I can keep my promise. Because my vision has shown me how good you will be as a father to our baby.” Vassago slightly tilted up his glasses with pride. “You know how accurate my visions are. Don’t worry, Andy, you will be the best father in all rings of Hell!”
Andrealphus’ eyes widened at the nickname Vassago just called him. No one had ever called him by nicknames.
Andy. Sounds funny with Vassago’s silly accent.
Andrealphus stared at the smiling parrot with a softening look, but didn’t have much else to say – he wanted to believe what Vassago just said, but he knew he would have a hard time doing so – Seeing the conflicted look on Andrealphus’ face, Vassago cupped the peacock’s face with both hands, thumbs gently caressing his cheeks, looking earnestly into Andrealphus’ eyes.
"You have to believe in yourself, Andrealphus. Tienes la luz más brillante que he visto en ti."
***
Andrealphus and his butler Ezri stood in front of the gate of Vassago's palace, squinting their eyes in silence at this palace that can only be called magnificent.
He had never been to Vassago's palace. To some extent, he had imagined what Vassago's palace would look like, but he didn't expect it to be so rich.
So... Vassago.
This was the only way he could describe the vast complex of palaces in front of him.
Looking around, a variety of fruit trees guarded the main palace in the center, and colorful flower bushes were cleverly arranged between the trees. Whenever the breezes blew, they would bring a scent of fruits and flowers that Andrealphus always smelled on Vassago.
Andreaphus sighed, second doubted whether letting Vassago talk him into living with him was the right call, and certainly second doubted himself for being a pushover when Vassago could easily talk him into doing something he didn’t want to do with just his silly laughs and his puppy eyes (if that ever made any sense) – although Vassago was his custodian and he didn’t really have a say on this matter, Vassago still gave him choices – But clearly he was the only one who was having a problem here.
Andrealphus looked down at his imp butler, who looked utterly satisfactory and the admiration towards the courtyard in front of them was all over his face, then he met the expectant eyes of his butler and heard him ask. “Sir, may I ask Price Vassago’s gardeners to help decorate your courtyard?”
Before Andrealphus could firmly say no to his butler, Vassago, who finally got all the necessary procedures done with the council, showed up at the gate with their eggs strapped on his chest, took Andrealphus' hand and greeted his butler, leading them into his home excitedly like a boy having the first sleepover with his friends.
"You look ridiculous like this." Andrealphus stared at Vassago's chest with a subtly perplexed frown. What is this thing called? A chest harness? Just put the egg in it like this? Won't it fall out?
"No, I look cute like this, and you think so too." Vassago raised his crest feathers and laughed at the look on Andrealphus' face. "I can see that, Andy."
Andrealphus sneered, but said nothing back at Vassago (because Vassago was right but he had no intension of letting Vassago have the satisfaction), and turned his head to the side pretending to appreciate the scenery. But soon he was actually lost in the bright scenery around them.
This is really... impressive. Better than he expected. But he wasn't sure if he could just stay here as Vassago said without feeling unease all the time; he wasn't sure if he could "fit in" here. Everything here was so bright and full of hope, just as bright as the light he saw in Vassago.
Andrealphus sighed – he had been sighing too often lately and it was starting to upset him. But he had no idea how to stop himself from doing it and this upset him even more - Then his aimless thoughts were brought back to reality by Vassago's hand holding his face. He looked at Vassago's bright smile and heard him say –
"Don't worry, I'll always be with you, Mi Lucita."
***
After weeks living with Vassago in his palace, Andrealphus felt that he had adapted surprisingly well here – making all of his uneasiness seem to be a fuss for nothing – he even found himself gainning some weight.
If he had still lived in his own manor, he would probably freak out about the change in his body and punish himself by refusing to eat anything but water (or wine) for days, panicking about being unable to fit in the “tailor-made” attires that his mother specifically addressed to him. But now with Vassago constantly feeding him the fruits that he had never tasted before and the comfort in the assurances that Vassago reminded him of every day, he just put these unhealthy thoughts (that was what Vassago called them) in the deep back of his head, covering them with the memory of Vassago’s laughter.
He was trying hard to convince himself to believe Vassago's words and not let himself overthink everything. Whenever he began to doubt himself, he would think of Vassago's words that he didn't understand.
Tienes la luz más brillante que he visto en ti.
It was that strange language that Vassago often spoke. Although he didn't understand what this sentence meant, recalling Vassago's tone when he said this sentence always made him feel safe.
Maybe I should ask Vassago what this sentence means.
Andrealphus lazily lay in the rocking chair in the small garden just outside the floor-to-ceiling window of Vassago’s bedchamber, eyes half hooded sleepily, making soft cooing sounds in the warmth of Vassago’s guarding spells that enveloped the entire palaces – Great, now I’m making those stupid sounds like Stolas – until someone put something wrapped in a soft blanket in his arms.
Andrealphus snapped his eyes wide open and found that it was Vassago who handed him the egg wrapped in a blanket. He held the egg stiffly, staring at the parrot smiling at him in a panic, "Vassago! I said I couldn't – "
"It's okay, Andy." Vassago gently cut Andrealphus off, squeezed into the rocking chair and lay with him, wrapped his arms around his waist holding both him and the egg together. He tilted his head nuzzling Andrealphus’s face with his beak affectionately. "Our baby misses you; I miss you."
Andrealphus bit his beak and looked down at the egg in his arms. It was still as dazzling as the first day he saw it, with stars and snowflakes playfully flashing off on the eggshell. He shut his eyes hard, after a long moment of silence, he took a deep breath and said weakly, "When I look at it, I still think of my father."
Vassago didn't say anything. He just let out a soft hum as he leaned his head on Andrealphus’ shoulder.
Andrealphus opened up again, but he didn't know what to say anymore—he didn't want to throw the suppressing nonsense to Vassago anymore; he couldn't always let Vassago deal with his depression for him. It was unfair to Vassago—finally he sighed. "Maybe you are right, Vassago."
“I should trust you, Vassago. To plan what’s the best for all of us for the days ahead with you, not always looking back at the crap from my past.”
Vassago’s eyes lit up instantly at Andrealphus' words. He chirped happily and kissed Andrealphus with a cheerful laugh.
Andrealphus let go of his fear for now for the sake of this moment – he would kill himself if he ruined it – and reciprocated Vassago’s kiss with the same eagerness, as if it helped him to steel himself up to face all the uncertainty and inevitable chaos yet to come.
He leaned into Vassago’s embrace, smiled with content for the first time in his life. He bathed himself in Vassago’s scent which he adored the most. Full of rum, fruits and flowers.
It smelled like spring flowers, like summer sun, like autumn breezes, like a safe nest for the tiring peacock to finally rest in, to keep him away from the winter storms.
I will be a decent…A good father to our child. I will be a good partner to Vassago.
It will work out. Andrealphus said to himself firmly in his heart.
I can – We will work it out.