Knights of Hell

Chapter 11 <3

It had been a couple of days since Mint and Church had essentially rescued the Vause twins from Azure and company at their house, and since then, they hadn’t seen them. Mint was sure that was a good thing, as he repeatedly told Church, who was adamant it was not.

“Don’t you see?” Church hissed, waving his arms like a madman, gaining a few looks from passersby, walking their pets early in the mourning. Mint sighed as he looked over at his best friend. “They are scheming something, and we are going to be the butt of whatever twisted joke they plan to pull. There is a reason why everyone at university avoids them: the rumours, Mint. Have you heard the rumours?”

Mint sighed, rolling his eyes at his overdramatic best friend as they turned down the alley leading to the shadier part of town where Azure resided. Mint didn't understand why the man couldn’t find a better neighbourhood. He had more than enough money to do so, but he, too, was hell-bent on remaining in that specific apartment. “They’re nothing, Church. At the end of the day, that’s all they are, rumours.”

“But if enough people say it-”

“No.”

Mint walked into the shady little lobby of Azure’s apartment, and the duo decided to walk up the stairs rather than take the elevator when they saw four demons waiting for it. They didn’t have anything particular against demons. It was mainly for their safety. Church would not stop asking them questions, and honestly, as much as Mint loved his best friend, the man didn't have a fuller, and it had gotten them into a lot of trouble before, and he didn’t want any issues before eight am, on a Tuesday.

Both men were heavily out of breath when they reached Azure’s floor, and they eyed one another.

“We need to get in better shape,” Church gasped through heavy breaths.

Mint waved him off, rolling his eyes as he held onto the peeling wallpaper as they made their way down the hallway. “We say that everytiime we climb the stairs and never do.”

The duo let themselves into the apartment and were surprised that the rest of the knights were still lurking about. Feather was passed out on the couch, half of his body hanging off. Cedar had curled up in the armchair, a blanket draped over him, and he was holding a wine bottle particularly close to him. Nether was still in the air, leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. Church, of course, having seen the demon, went over to him and craned his neck to look up at him, his mouth opening and closing as he debated something.

“Church,” Mint said as he went to the kitchen. “Don’t.”

Mint focused on grabbing the travel mug and making himself some coffee. He knew he had left it here, and he didn’t want to spend the day at university without his daily caffeine dosage, and he did not want to spend his hard-earned student finance on coffee, especially not when Azure had perfectly good coffee at home.

What Mint hadn’t expected was for Yua to walk in and wrap him in a hug from behind. He froze a little, thinking the man must have mistaken him for someone else, but when Yua didn’t move, Mint cleared his throat a little. “Yua,” he said gently. “Are you okay?”

“I found you,” he whispered. His voice was raspy, gravelly, and quiet. “I finally found you.”

Mint frowned and gently moved the man away from him, only for Azure to walk into the tiny kitchen, yawning into the crook of his elbow and scratching his head. He frowned, pausing at the duo before Yua nodded at Azure and left the kitchen.

Azure stared at Mint in confusion. “Wht was that about?”

Mint shrugged as he returned to the task and continued making his coffee, but he had to ask. “So,” he said, clearing his throat a little. He looked over at Azure, who had taken the kettle off the stand and filled it with more water before putting it back on, and while the water had been warming, he had begun filling his mug with an ungodly amount of coffee and sugar. “Yua.”

“What about Yua?”

“He’s the one who took the vow right?”

Azure eyed him warily. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Not my place to say,” Azure responded casually as the kettle finished, and he poured in the hot water before handing the kettle over to Mint. “Make your coffee and go away. Stop raiding my fridge, and take Church with you because if he wakes up Nether, I will not be protecting him. It's about time he learned that his actions have consequences.”

Mint finished his coffee and Church’s coffee, and he walked past Church, dragging him by his backpack and out of the apartment, handing him his travel mug. The two talked about nothing in particular. That was a lie. Church was still sure the Vause twins were out to get them, but Mint resorted to ignoring him and instead thought about what had occurred in the kitchen between him and Yua. What had the knight meant when he said that he had found him? Did Mint know him from somewhere?

He was sure he didn’t. Azure had been strict about keeping him and Church away from the Knights until that fateful night. So, why had YUua said what he had? Had the demon mistaken him for someone else? I mean, indeed, that was a possibility. Mint would worry about it again because Church repeatedly hit his arm, drawing him out of his thoughts.

“What?” Mint groaned, kneading his arm after slapping his best friend on the arm in retaliation.

“Look,” he hissed, nodding his head towards the Vause twins who were waiting near the entrance to the university. Once they had spotted the duo, the two whispered something to one another before walking over.

Mint and Church quietly agreed to ignore them. They had to ignore the whispers, pointing and stares. However, the student body was much more obvious about it this time, mainly due to the Vause twins, who had followed them through one lecture and two seminars and continued following behind them, talking amongst themselves.

Church finally caved and whirled around to glare at the duo. “What do you two want?” he hissed.

~*~