yall i gotta get my HEAD outta the fanfiction cloud and get my BRAIN back to writing can i just like write forty chapters exclusively featuring the archangel gang™ vslkdf;skldfjskldj this chapter doesn't sound right bc i can't do italics on here aa --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- trigger warnings: none --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AN ACCUMULATION OF EVENTS The rusty, antique phone placed in the corner of the old desk trembled, making a ghastly sound as it did so. Silphyr leaned over absently and picked it up. Haven’t got a job in a while, she thought. Just as she put it to her ear, it was snatched away from her. Aquarius waved distractedly at Silphyr as she sat back on the desk, her back to the demon. “Hi, this is Aquarius. You got a job?” She paused, her casual demeanor slipping away. “Oh - of course. You said I should speak to - ah, there you are. Let’s discuss the terms of this.” She drummed her long fingers on the shiny table. “What? Ah, yes, um, I’ll fetch the others.” The phone rang thirteen times, then clicked as the connection was made. Beelzebub put it to their ear, Gabriel leaning at their side. It had been decided that Beelzebub would be the one to make the call, as, depending on the person who answered, the Children of the Stars could be strange and fickle - and sometimes hang up the phone on someone they thought sounded boring. But never on someone of that importance. “Hey,” they said, not bothering to introduce themself. “I’ve got an offer for you. You need to speak to an acquaintance of mine.” There was a short reply on the other end, and Beelzebub passed the phone to Catherine, who took it with a determined manner. Gabriel fidgeted nervously at their side, one arm linked through the other’s. “Could we confer with - ah, everyone?” She paused. “Yes, I said everyone. Thank you.” She covered the mouthpiece with her hand and mouthed demons at Mitsuri, rolling her eyes. Beelzebub promptly flicked their finger and lit the bottoms of her long robes on fire, Gabriel immediately putting it out and hitting them lightly. “Hi~” sang another person on the end of the line quite loudly. Catherine groaned with disgust and put her head in one hand. (cont)
(cont) Leo swung around the edge of the long rounded table, spinning into a soft chair. Aquarius let out a long-suffering sigh and placed the base of the telephone down, almost slipping as she stopped it from being pulled off. Behind the two of them, the rest of the Star Children filed in, some looking confused while others looked disinterested and bored. “Lord Beelzebub called,” Aquarius explained shortly. Taurus did a double take, upsetting one of the flowers delicately placed upon her head. Sweeping a lock of impossibly long hair over one pale shoulder, she rushed over, looking flushed. “What did they want?” “A job,” she answered, looking over absently at Leo, who spun around on the chair again. “Of course! I’ll discuss everything.” They paused, their brows furrowing before an expression of gleeful anticipation crossed their face. “Is that so? Sounds perfectly fun ~ ! Could you explain in detail a tad more about the extent of the contact that was signed? I need to know exactly what we’re going into here.” A rather long pause. “Okay, then. . . So an Archangel? A little less at full power? Right then. We can take that. But you know we can’t upset everything. The moment he’s taken down and the contract broken, She’s going to have to get Her Replacement and get it right there, or it’ll bother everything up.” Aquarius and Cancer, now joined by Virgo and Pisces, leaned over the side of the table in order to catch Leo’s every word - something that seldom happened or was wanted. “There’ll be a heavy price, you know. . . one entire soul with a tad extra - perhaps that halfling I’ve heard so very much about! - and then perhaps three-eights off of their time? Everyone’s coming down here, of course. Perhaps seven-sixteenths? Though for the safety of a very specific person guaranteed, I could perhaps cut that down to two-fifths.” “You can’t make your own discount offers!” Aquarius interrupted indignantly. Leo waved her off, glaring, “Oh, shut it. I’ll be burning it all down, won’t I?” Aquarius opened her mouth to make a biting retort, but Leo had already turned back to the conversation on the phone. “I think Beelzebub can get you something on that. Lady Helia is a sucker for a good love story, and I’m sure she’ll be glad along with all the others when we’re finally rid of this drama. She’ll be coming as well - she’s crucial to this. But don’t you touch that halfling. Understand, Demon?” “We’ll discuss that when it comes to it. Very well, then, I’d better get everyone planning,” Leo dismissed. “Two days. We need two days.” “Good enough,” they replied, looking around at the staring faces for confirmation. The phone clicked off, and they grinned slyly, turning slowly to face the rest of the room. “Guys. . .” they drawled, placing both hands on the table conspiratorially. “We’ve got a gig ~!”
