The next day zyren went to Jaceon after feeling guilty about what he did to Levi.
He stood in front of Jaceon, wings tucked tightly behind his back, shoulders hunched like a scolded child. The night air around them shimmered faintly with lingering demonic tension, but Zyren's eyes—soft, uncertain—told another story.
"I… I want to apologize," he said. "To Levi."
Jaceon raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "You nearly gutted him like a rabbit. You think 'sorry' is gonna fix that?"
Zyren looked down. "I didn't mean to. It was instinct. I was hungry, scared… But he didn't deserve that. He wasn't the enemy."
Jaceon studied him in silence. Then, after a long pause, he sighed. "Fine. But if he tells you to leave, you leave. If I sense even a whisper of hunger in you—"
"You won't," Zyren cut in quickly. "I swear."
Levi opened the door to find Zyren standing there with his hands behind his back like a schoolboy caught in trouble.
Jaceon stood beside him, glaring like a prison guard.
Levi blinked, not expecting this. "Wow. You really came."
Zyren looked up sheepishly. "I… I wanted to say I'm sorry. For what happened. I didn't know what I was doing. I still don't. But… thank you for not hating me."
Levi crossed his arms, pretending to be skeptical, but the glimmer of amusement in his eyes betrayed him. "You're lucky Jarvis stepped in. Or else we'd be repainting the walls."
"I know."
There was an awkward silence before Levi stepped aside. "Come in."
Jaceon's eyes widened. "You're letting him in?"
Levi shrugged. "He's got guilt. That's already more human than most demons. Maybe he's salvageable."
Zyren stepped inside carefully, like the floor might burn him. He kept his gaze down, uncomfortable in the clean, well-lit apartment.
"Let's be friends," Levi said, holding out a hand.
Zyren stared at it for a moment, then slowly shook it. "You… still want that? After what I did?"
"I don't think you wanted to do it," Levi replied. "You're just… in the wrong world."
Zyren managed a tiny smile. "Yeah. That sounds about right."
Just like that Levi became friends with zyren but little did zyren knew that Levi loves messing around his friends and now he has to pay for trying to eat him alive the last time.
So he went to him the next morning just for that....
"Morning, Zyren," Levi greeted with a too-sweet tone.
"I... uh... good morning?" Zyren said cautiously.
"I figured since you almost ripped me in half the last time, we could try something that brings balance to our relationship."
Zyren squinted. "What kind of 'balance' are we talking about?"
Levi's smile widened. "We're going to church."
Zyren froze. "You're not serious."
"Oh, I'm dead serious."
Before Zyren could escape, Levi grabbed his wrist and dragged him off toward the chapel down the street. Jaceon had left earlier for "demon business," and Levi figured now was the perfect time to strike his innocent little revenge… and get a few laughs too.
When they arrived at the church entrance, Zyren stood frozen outside the door like a vampire being asked to step into sunlight.
"I don't think I'm allowed in there," he said with wide eyes.
"You're not gonna burst into flames," Levi chuckled. "Probably."
Zyren hissed, "Probably?!"
Levi shoved open the door. The heavenly organ music echoed through the tall ceiling. People in the pews turned toward them with polite smiles. Levi stepped inside and tugged Zyren's sleeve until the demon reluctantly followed, twitching with every step.
The moment Zyren crossed the threshold, his skin prickled, and he let out a soft yelp. "Why does the air feel like judgment?!"
Levi barely held back laughter. He took out his phone and started recording.
Zyren sat stiffly in the pew like he was sitting on a burning throne. His eyes darted to the large crucifix at the front, then to the holy water, then to a nun who passed by and smiled at them.
"She knows," Zyren whispered.
"She probably thinks you're just nervous about the sermon," Levi teased.
"I'm nervous about existing right now!" he responded.
When the priest walked in and began to speak, Zyren flinched at the sound of "Let us pray." He slowly leaned toward Levi and muttered, "You're a cruel, cruel man."
Levi whispered back, grinning, "You owe me."
Zyren tried to follow the prayer but ended up repeating the wrong parts at the wrong time. "And forgive us our trespasses as we trespass against those who… trespassed—oh no, I messed it up."
By the time the choir began to sing, Zyren was sweating and muttering, "I feel holy radiation entering my skull."
Levi was doubled over in silent laughter, still recording.
Later that evening, Levi couldn't stop grinning as he flopped onto the couch in Jaceon's apartment. He proudly held up his phone, waving it like a trophy.
"You have to see this," Levi said, laughing.
Jaceon raised an eyebrow as he sat beside him. "What did you do this time?"
Levi tapped play on the video and leaned in close.
The screen lit up with Zyren fidgeting in a church pew, whispering, "Why does the air feel like judgment?!" followed by a jump scare flinch during the priest's sermon and an overly dramatic, "I feel holy radiation entering my skull."
By the time Zyren muttered, "I think I just ascended… or descended further," Jaceon was snorting with laughter.
"Oh damn," he wiped his eye. "You really took him to church?"
Levi smiled with pride. "That's what he gets for trying to claw my face off. I had to humble him somehow."
Jaceon chuckled, then gave Levi a long look. "Just promise me one thing."
"Hmm?"
"Don't ever try that on me."he said.
Levi blinked innocently. "Try what?"
"Don't play dumb, Levi. You pull me into a church, I swear, I won't just sizzle. I'll explode. The exorcists will get a free lesson in demonology they weren't ready for."jaceon replied.
Levi burst into laughter. "You'd seriously be that dramatic?"
"I'm not Zyren, baby. I'm not a scared little demon who flinches at holy water. I'm one of the real ones." Jaceon leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a teasingly dark tone. "You think priests have seen demons? They've seen shadows. They've never seen me."
Levi rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. I won't pull you into a cathedral. But... maybe a little chapel?"
Jaceon narrowed his eyes. "Levi."
"Okay! I'm kidding. I'll save the church tours for Zyren."he responded.
"Good," Jaceon said with a smirk. "Because the last time someone tried to bless me, they ended up with their holy water boiling in the bottle."
Levi laughed so hard he nearly fell off the couch. "God, I love you."
"Yeah, yeah." Jaceon pulled him into his arms. "Just keep your devilish ideas away from sacred places."
They sat in a warm silence for a moment before Jaceon added with a grin, "Though I have to admit… seeing Zyren panic like that? Priceless. You're evil, babe."
Levi smirked, resting his head on Jaceon's shoulder. "Guess I'm rubbing off on you."