The Tyrant's Pet

"Get… the hell out of my sight," he repeated without blinking, not even once. "I don't want to see you."

Abel shook his head, barely stopping himself from inflicting even a scratch on her. Deep in his broken and rotten heart, he wished for her to listen. Just this once. He hoped she would listen to him and leave because if she didn't, he wouldn't be kind to her anymore.

"I like you," he confessed in his threatening voice. "To an extent, I will make an exception and let you go alive. Do not take my leniency for granted, darling. It has its limitations."

He slowly retracted the tip of his wings from her neck. His eyelids drooped, swallowing the frustrating tension in his throat. His stiff shoulders then relaxed as he loosened his fist, accepting what he had already accepted even before everything came to this point.

As mentioned, he already anticipated it.

Abel had always known and feared for this day to come. When he saw her walking towards the emperor's chambers, he already knew this would happen. No. Actually, he had always thought this would happen way before she entered the Maganti Empire.

The reason he had always wanted to kill her back in Haimirich. He should've killed her back then. If only he did, it wouldn't be as painful as now. However, he couldn't reverse the time nor could he unlove her. If things were just that easy, he wouldn't mind living in a time loop where the two of them didn't have anything to think about anything else but themselves.

He looked down, recalling all the good times they shared. It felt like a dream, giving him the urge to sleep permanently since dreams were better than reality.

For his thousands of years of existence, that was the only time he could safely say was worth taking to his grave.

Not this. Not that look in her eyes.

"Do I need to get on my knees and beg you?" he asked after the prolonged pause between them, keeping his eyes on the floor, unable to hold her gaze and feel nothing but pain. But unlike his intimidating demeanor, his aura laid low and the words that came out of his mouth differed from his intention.

"Choose me…" he whispered before he slowly got down on his knees. "I'll be good… I promise."

Aries bit her lower lip, watching him on his knees, on the floor, begging her to choose him.

"I'm sorry, darling. I was scared you'd leave me if you know me… don't leave me." His voice was incredibly low and shaky, but she could hear him loud and clear. "I don't need you to accept me. I just need you to stay. Hurt me or break me, hate me if that will make you feel good… but don't leave me."

"If my wings scare you, I'll cut them for you. If my fangs disgust you, I'll extract them every single time grow back. I'll close my eyes every time they will glow. I'll take out everything that you don't like, just… just don't leave me."

"You're… ridiculous." Aries shook her head, unable to hold back the tears that were flooding her face. He didn't even answer and simply nodded in agreement.

"Stupid to assume mere words can persuade you? I am, indeed." Abel chuckled bitterly, hearing her heavy footsteps approaching. "Stay, please," he demanded under his breath, shunning the thoughts of her leaving now, even after begging her.

But well… what did he expect?

Abel had been terrible; his existence was filled with nothing but sin and he was well aware if he would go to hell, he would become a legend. He will even replace the demon in charge in that place. Despite being aware of that, he regretted nothing.

This world deserved his anger, and if it fought back, it was just fair. If this world fell at his feet, then that would be a shame. But if he fell into the world's feet, he got what he deserved.

That had been his motto; his simple outlook on life.

However, right now, he couldn't help but wonder if he was a little bit merciful… he could probably sway her. He had more cards to play, more things to argue with, and reasons why she had to stay.

'If only…' his thoughts trailed off when she noticed her skirt on the floor where he was looking.

"Stupid," she spat out, waiting for him to raise his head while kneeling in front of him. As soon as their eyes met, his brows raised slightly, seeing the tears filling her eyes. Without letting him wonder what she was doing, Aries lurched forward, throwing her arms wide before wrapping them around his neck.

For a moment, Abel stiffened at her action, frozen on the spot, mind in a shut mode. Meanwhile, Aries rested her chin on her arm that was resting over his shoulders. Tears continued to roll to her side, her heart pounding against his chest.

His wings were still spread wide and she could see them up close. From this faint light shining down on them from the window, she had finally seen what sort of wings they were. Although they looked like bat wings, they were made of flesh with blood as their skin. More than terrifying, it looked painful, as if someone simply took his spine out and broke it to create a hauntingly beautiful pair of wings.

She couldn't even imagine spreading them if she had them… and yet, Abel… would fly just to see her. He might or might not be hurt, but her heart already knew the paralyzing pain these wings brought to him through the years.

Her lips trembled as they parted, mustering the courage to speak after finding her voice.

"Better?" she asked.

It was just a one-word question, the question she would usually throw at him back in Haimirich. But now… it felt different. His face crumpled as he slowly crawled his arms around her waist and they crept up her spine. He buried his face in her shoulder and hummed.

"Mhm…" he clutched her back mildly. "Better."