Chapter 54

Inside the Thaumiel clan estate two golden haired children sat down on the sofa, peacefully enjoying the television in front of them. It showed the newest recording of their mother's actions as an idol and to say they were enraptured was an understatement.

"Hey! Get away from Mama you pervert! You can't be so close to a goddess like her!" Ruby suddenly shouted upon seeing the host of the show sitting a bit to close for comfort. It was a live broadcast but her voice had no sway here.

'He is too close though. Should I ask dad to take care of him?' Aqua thought to himself, pausing at a certain word. Dad. When did he start calling that man his father? Was it when he first appeared, boldly requesting to use Ai for his own selfish gain?

Was it when he began to send them treats in a clear attempt at bribery? Perhaps it was when he saved Ai from the clutches of death? Or was it when he saved them from the grasps of a god who wanted to make Aqua their apostle by taking everything he cared for from him?

Aqua wasn't sure when it was but at some point it naturally changed from 'Mister' or 'Uncle' into 'Dad'. Ruby was adamant about Ai being her only parent for a while but even she let it slip and now she was used to it.

Truthfully, even if they took away Damian's personal acts of kindness he still helped them dramatically. He used his influence to make Ai's dream of being the best idol less of a dream and more of an inevitability. Of course, with Ai being Ai she would have done it anyway.

"You guys are watching Ai again huh?" The amused voice of Marco appeared behind them, his footsteps silent as usual. The blue haired spearman was wearing clothes, a requirement of Damian, but it didn't change his sleazy grin.

"Mhm! Mama is the best!" Ruby proclaimed proudly to the terrible influence on them. Even if he was a piece of shit that seduced a new woman every night he wasn't a bad person, rather he was a pretty good guy. He'd be a bad dad of course but as an Uncle figure he was unrivaled.

"Yup you got one hell of a mom. So where is that King of mine?" Marco asked curiously, both Aqua and Ruby sending him a disappointed look. As a member of his peerage it was obvious that he should know where Damian was, it was quite literally the bare minimum.

"He's going to Kuoh Academy with Miss Gremory." Aqua explained with a sigh. Unfortunately, because of Damian's odd rules Marco was allowed to basically ignore his King despite that being a grievous insult in most peerages.

But Damian was an odd ball of the highest order. Rather than a true peerage the Thaumiel clan is more akin to a gathering of vaguely like minded individuals held together by their respect for Damian as a combatant rather than a King.

But it was only natural that was the case. Like the case with Ai, Aqua has heard that each and every member of his peerage was clearly explained that Damian was using him. In the end though, it worked so Aqua didn't know what to think.

"Well, I'll see you runts later. If you see the King tell him I'm over in France." Marco spoke leisurely before he vanished in an instant. Sighing in minor annoyance Aqua returned his head back to the always reliable relaxant that was his mother.

There was one single issue as of late though. Whenever he saw his mother, or rather her smile, he couldn't help but think… she liked Damian and liking often led too… Shaking his head Aqua rubbed his hands up and down his arms to counter the shivers attacking him.

"What's up with you?" Ruby asked him, not even bothering to take her attention fully from the screen. A sentiment that her brother shared as he practically glared at the screen even while shaking and shivering.

"Do you think… No, that's too much." Aqua muttered wildly, suddenly concerned for his mother's safety. He hadn't seen Ai leave their shared room at night for anything but work rea- but wait a second! What if those reasons weren't actual work but…!

"What are you thinking about so much?" Yan Qing asked, his presence almost perfectly melded with nature as he walked. While he didn't quite get it as somebody who never used it, apparently Yan Qing rivaled the Yokai in senjutsu despite humans being unable to use it.

"Do you think Ai and Da- no Damian are… at night?" Aqua asked the most reasonable adult in the peerage hesitantly, whispering the forbidden word so softly that not even Ruby heard it. But she didn't need to.

"No way! Our Mama would never do something like that! Our Mama is as pure and innocent as an angel! No! She's more pure than even Gabriel!" Ruby shouted wildly, denying the mere possibility of it with as much passion as Damian had in beating up Riser so long ago.

"While I wouldn't go that far I can say confidently that they haven't done that before." Yan Qing replied, holding his tongue from saying the rest of his sentence as the two reborn children let out sighs of relief.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨. Those were the words he wished to say but held back. Damian clearly had negative feelings toward relationships stemming from the death of his parents which he blamed upon himself so if it did happen it would take extreme determination as well as years.

Unfortunately for Damian, Ai had both on her side. Ever since she was saved, perhaps even before, Ai had been pushing the boundaries. She held clear affection for Damian even if he didn't fully understand it herself.

For years she had been wiggling her way into Damian's stone cold heart, something she was extremely good at as an Idol, and soon it would bloom into something more. At least, that's what he thought. 

But what did he, a mere warrior who once wandered the world know?

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