Everything has a price

It had been a week since almost losing her life, and she was still adjusting. The pain had a weird feeling in her body, as if something was out of balance. She had started seeing things as well when she moved outside. Colours of inexplicable nature. They lit up around all living things, and at times she thought she was going mental. That day had been like any other. First a lecture on Shakespearian laguage followed by a study session, but she had to excuse herself. It was strange. She was normally always full of energy, but she almost felt hungry being surrounded by all these people. She pushed the thought aside and decided to ignore it. Maybe it was just a weird side effect to being in hell. However as she got home she felt so empty in her stomach that she was close to collapsing. She hadn’t made changes to her diet, but she felt almost ravenous. She opened the fridge, almost emptying it. She sat down on the floor, clutching her stomach as she still felt hungry. Her phone she had placed in the other room, but she didn’t have any energy to go and get it. She would have called Baal, but instead she just sat on her kitchen floor, staring at the wall, feeling the empty feeling in her stomach almost eat away at her. That’s when the pain kicked in. Her head spinning as the world around her seemed to blur. Panic then attacked, but she tried her best to calm down. She ended up passing out on the kitchen floor.

Coming back from hell and giving away a part of his soul hadnt been easy on Baal. He had been quite ravenous, feasting on every soul of the demons he had killed, till the hunger eventually calmed down and he would feel some sort of being normal again. His thoughts had wandered to Buffy whenever he had been alone, but he hadnt seen her in a while. She had her studies and he had his mission, but something had seemed off. He knew giving a part of his soul to a human couldnt end well, yet some part of him hoped that it had only healed her. A fool's hope really, but he stuck to it.
He had been sitting in his apartment, trying to fix the bond between his hound and him, but it still wasnt very happy with him. Biting his arms and snapping at his face whenever he approached them, making them both wrestle around on the floor while Baal tried to calm it down. It was a lost cause, the hound wasnt going to forgive him that easily, not after he had made it kill Karmena unwillingly. He let it go and picked up his phone, hoping that there had been an answer from Buffy, but to his dismay, there was nothing. He started thinking that something was off, she could at least have sent an emoji or some other weird thing, but there was just silence.
He lifted his marked hand and sent the beast back to hell before he got up and placed his phone in his pocket as he went out, traffic was oddly crowded, so he decided to just make a run for it. She could really be anywhere, but he thought that checking her house would be a great start. He stopped at her door and pressed the button, but as impatient as he was, he cut up his hand and drew his mark on the ground, pulling his wraith out from hell. "Lift me up," he demanded and grabbed the ghost's arm as it lifted him off the ground to her window. He narrowed his eyes and decided to just ram his elbow through the glass, shattering it completely for him to crawl in. The ghastly creature followed, laughing in it's shrieking loud tone. He looked around in the living room till he turned his head to the right and saw her in the kitchen. "No," he mumbled. His eyes opened up in surprise and he quickly went to her, throwing himself on his knees as he picked her up into his arms, placing his ear on her chest to listen for a heartbeat.

Buffy felt a weird feeling, almost like she was floating, yet being kept down at the same time. She suddenly felt a prescense other than herself. It was weird. Her light soul shining so brightly, but it was almost as if clouds of darkness sorrounded it. Then she heard a voice, his voice and she felt her eyes open. Her green eyes almost glowing for a second before she looked at him. ”Belial,” she said a bit confused, tracing her eyes to the broken window and the sun setting outside. When she had gotten home the sun was far from this position. She narrowed her eyes and looked back to him, getting to her feet with a weird ease and looked around. Things were spinning a bit and she fell forward, but her body reacted and she didn’t hit herself too bad. ”I need food,” was all she could say. She made a pained expression as she just had to move. If she stayed here she felt like she was going to die from starvation. She groaned in pain, clutching her stomach again. ”Nhgh,” she moaned gritting her teeth as she did so, half crawling at this point. Her breathing wasn’t steady at all, almost panicy and her heartbeat was going crazy. Shortly it was like she forgot how to breathe as she afterwards gasped for air.

He sighed in relief as he heard her heatbeat, moving his head up, his eyes met hers and his expression filled with worry. He didnt want her to get up, but he wasnt going to constrain her, watching her go as he stayed on his knees. When she fell, his eyes widened but she was quick to react. He moved over to her, placing a hand on her back as he studied her face and felt her soul. "Tell me what you want and I'll get it for you," he said as his thumb caressed her back, clenching his jaw at her groan. He wanted to help, but he wasnt sure what kind of food she needed. Had her soul taken the part of his that he had given her? Wasnt she human anymore? He couldnt know, her soul told him nothing.
When she crawled, he exhaled deeply from his stomach and rose to his feet as he pulled her up on hers, holding a firm grip in her arms to make sure she didnt fall, wrapping his arms around her as she gasped for air, hoping that his embrace could bring her some sort of comfort, "Breathe slowly with me," he guided her as he used a hand to imitate how she should be breathing. But the question popped back into his head and his worst thoughts started to get the best of him, "Boadicea, what food do you need?" he asked again, trying to keep his calm to best ability, but his voice was worried. The ghost was floating around, letting them have their peace, till it just couldnt anymore. "Heheheheeee. Is the little human in troubleeee?" it sang in a shrieking tone before a ghastly laugh sounded through it's cackling teeth.

Buffy could barely focus on anything and her jaw clenched as she felt it like her insides were burning. This wasn’t normal hunger, and she knew it, but part of her didn’t want to believe. He helped her to her feet and her eyes kept shifting, trying to understand what was going on around her. She moved her chest, inhaling and exhaling as per Baal’s request, but it was like she still felt short of breath. She opened her mouth to answer Baal’s question, but her eyes darted to the wraith in the room, taunting her. Her teeth gritted together and as she opened her mouth it sounded nothing like the english she normally spoke. ”Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear,” she said quoting the Bible in the demonic language that Baal used to summon his creatures with. After her sentence her eyes widened and her hand flew to her throat. She couldn’t believe what she had just said. Her green eyes turned to Baal again, her lower lip shaking as she felt fear again enter her system. ”Anything; everything – food, just edible food,” she said and felt how dry her throat was. It was weird looking at Baal now, his body being surrounded by strange colors and it was hard to focus on anthing else but that. She groaned again, bowing forward as she clawed at her stomach, as if that would help with her hunger. ”Am I dying?” she whispered looking up at Baal with teary eyes. ”I don’t wanna die,” she said, her voice cracking as she looked at the demon she loved so much.

None of them had expected to hear her speak their language with such fluency, it surprised the wraith more than it surprised Baal, and as the command ended, it screamed and starting flying around with wild rage, "Human thinks it can command meeee~? Outrageous, outrageouuusss!" it screamed with fear as it went through the broken window, it's loud shrieks echoing throughout the streets. Baal clutched at his heart as the distance got longer, groaning softly as he tried to shrug off the pain. He turned his eyes to Buffy and gulped when she said edible. What did that mean? Human food? His mind was in a wild craze of theories, that just wouldnt seem to stop.
He gasped when she bowed forward and quickly pulled her up into his arms again, holding her tight. He turned her to him as she looked at him with teary eyes, shifting between hers and furrowing his brows with sadness at her whisper. "No... You're not," he replied in a low tone as he placed a hand on her cheek. His breathing had been slightly flustered, but suddenly it had just calmed down in no time. He shook his head at her and placed a hand behind her head, "You're not gonna die, dont worry," he assured her before he exhaled deeply. His eyes shifted between hers again, no words spoken. He wasnt sure how he could explain it anyway. It would be worth the try. He leaned his head down to hers, placing his lips on hers, and if his main theory was right, this was probably the dumbest thing he could have done.

The wraith descided to run for it – or was it more accurately to describe it as ’flying’ for it? Buffy felt his arms around her, but his words weren’t really calming her down. Her eyes tried to focus on him as she felt his hand on her cheek. She just stared at him with pained eyes abore he leaned down to her lips and she felt it like a pull. She widened her eyes and pushed him away. Shaking with anger she looked at him. ”Don’t you fucking dare,” she said, leaning her back against the wall, clawing at it as she had felt his soul against her lips. She swallowed, her jaw shaking as she looked at him. ”I refuse to eat any part of your beautiful soul, so cut that out,” she said gasping as she fell to her knees. She panted as she tried to gain some sort of control over herself. ”Human food,” she said, specifying. She didn’t think she had to, but apparently she did. The world was spinning again and she started coughing. A black substance landing on the ground as thick as blood. She wiped her lips off with shaky hands and closed her eyes to get more of a focus on herself. Somehow she managed to open her eyes and looked at him, her green eyes shifting from glowing to being normal. ”I can’t leave – What if …” she said but dared not even think that sentence to the end. Taking an innocent life. That was not something she ever wished for.

You couldnt say that the prince of hell was thinking straight in the moment he pressed his lips to hers, well knowing what may or may not have happened. He felt the small pull at his soul before she pushed him off her, making him stagger before he regained his posture, looking at her with confusion. Her words made him clench his jaw and move his eyes away from hers, "You'd be better off feeding on souls," was the only thing he said as she mentioned what food she wanted. He looked at the fridge and had this sad look in his eyes as he turned them back to her.
She started coughing and he furrowed his brows as he walked over to her and wasnt sure what to do, so he just looked at her. The woman he loved was in such pain and his dumb ass thought the best opportunity was to offer his own soul. Her words made him close his eyes for a bit as he sighed and as he opened them again he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "You need to," he said rather sternly, as his thumb caressed her just below the mouth. He let her go and lifted his hand up to his mouth, mumbling a command into the mark in his demonic language, while his eyes were on her. He moved his hand down and turned his eyes away to stare into the broken glass in the living room, his face turning oddly numb after he had whispered his command. "For I made you become this. That shall be my burden alone, and what follows with the burden shall destroy me if so," he then said in a low tone as his eyes fixated on the glass.

”I don’t want to eat souls,” she argued feeling her body twitch at the mere word. Her breathing go unsteady and he was quick to be at her side looking at her. She took a deep breath as she tried to understand what was going on herself. His words made little sense to her and she looked at his eyes that seemed to have her captured. She moved a bit, closer to him and placing her hands on his face and looking at him. ”Stop being dramatic,” she mumbled and used his balance to get to her feet. She walked a bit staggering still and grabbed her coat, pulling it on and moving towards the door. ”Then let’s go,” she said leaning herself slightly against the door frame as she breathed out. ”And stop me from hurting anyone,” she begged in a small voice. It was the worst part of it all. Not knowing how to control this hunger. Had she turned into a demon? She didn’t feel like a demon, hell she was able to say Bible verses. She would have to figure it out when she had gotten something to eat. The street was full of people, but this close to Southside, most people just minded their own business. She felt herself so drawn to just pluck out their souls at will. Was this how demons felt all the time?

"Do you think I want to?" he then asked, tilting his head slightly before he had gone to her. He just wanted her to be alright again, to him it didnt matter if she had changed, and yet he still felt like it was his fault that she now had become this. His own selfishness had gotten the best of him, he just couldnt have let her die when his fragment had eaten away at her soul. All those memories were flashing by as his eyes starred themselves dry on the glass, till she grabbed his face and looked at him. Her mumble made him turn his head to look at her with sad eyes, "It's the truth," he said, putting his hands on her arms to keep her steady.
He let her go as she walked to get her coat, following after, ready to help her if she was about to fall. He stopped behind her, looking at her before he looked a bit down. He clenched his jaw at the negative thoughts and listened to her begging words. He sighed and shook his head, he had to keep his mind clear if they were going to look for a soul for her to eat... Just thinking about it, made the shame that much bigger. He stood for a bit, before he placed a hand under her arm, making her able to use him for support.
Then he walked down to the street and felt the last rays of sun on his face. A bitter warmth that would have soothed his soul any other day. He looked at her and opened his mouth a bit, like he was going to say something, but then he closed it and moved his eyes ahead as he started to walk. He was awfully quiet as his eyes wandered around, a lot of humans were walking on the street, probably going home from work. He gulped at the thought of her grabbing one of them and sucking their souls out. Wasnt this what he had been trying to fight all this time? But now, when the one he loved had become this, would he stay true to his purpose? His eyes darkened at the thought.

Buffy closed her eyes at his argument. She knew it wasn’t a choice for him, but why her? Why was this what she had been dealt? As they got to the street she grabbed Baal’s hand, pulling herself closer to him. As soon as she had gotten something to eat, she would have to say something, but for now she just moved towards Southside. The streets were always roaming with dark creatures, but she still couldn’t imagine what this was going to mean for her. She felt lost, her jaw shaking every time they passed a new soul. ”I want to try human food first, please,” she said looking at him. She could see his melancholic face as the sun said it’s last goodbyes. Her own hair looking like pure gold as the sun carressed it. She walked into a diner, orderign some food, more than usual, and even more than when they were out eating with Vanessa.

As the food came she started eating, rather fast for a human, but she did it regardless. It was like her stomach was bottomless, but she soon felt her body fill up with the energy. That must mean something, she thought. She looked at him with furrowed brows, getting started on the next dish and just focussing on eating. Her body was slowly getting better. Maybe it was true what they said in those stupid commercials; you really aren’t you when you are hungry. As she had gone through more food than a normal human would be capable off, she leaned back and placed a hand on her stomach with a small smile. ”Baal, look at me,” she said. She could sense that while he had his eyes on her, he was caught up in his own thoughts. She breathed out and moved over to sit next to him, placing her arms around him and pulling him close. The colors around him were different, but she just held him for a bit.

”Firstly; I want you to know that my love for you has not and will not ever change,” she said, pulling away to look him in the eye. ”Secondly,” she said and gave him a small hit over the shoulder. ”Thirdly, I am not going to let you play martyr and think it will make me happy – you make me happy, so explain what was going through your head?” she said.
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Would human food be enough, was the only thing he thought as they walked, his eyes scouting for souls, he didnt answer her as he was all caught up in his mind with anxious thoughts that tore at his heartstrings. He wasnt really aware of where they were going and was surprised when shedragged him into the diner, sitting down in front of her as his gaze stayed on the table, not really being there in person. He glanced at the food as it arrived and normally he would have made some sort of facial expression of disgust, but he was oddly ridden of all feelings. He watched her eat and kept wondering when it would be that she ate a soul, and if she would hate him for making her the way she was now. When she demanded that he looked at her, he complied but his thoughts were making him blind.
He just kept his eyes away from her as she ate, his thoughts darkening more and more as time passed. He barely noticed when she sat next to him, before he felt her arms around him, pulling him close. The comfort was something he craved so dearly, his arms instinctively wrapping themselves around her to feel safe. She had a way to shine through the darkness in his mind, making it shift it's focus to her in a second. He looked at her as she pulled back and shifted between her eyes as she spoke. His face was numb of emotion but her words moved him, but when she hit him, he narrowed his eyes shortly. Then the third thing came and his eyes avoided hers as they turned to the table. He stared at it a bit and his hands clutched at the fabric of her shirt. "I was too selfish to let you die, and now I've turned you into something that you dont want to be," he said in a rather low tone, his eyebrows furrowing with anger towards himself.
His hands slowly loosening their grip on her shirt as he turned his face to hers and looked into her eyes. "I dont know what I was thinking when I offered you my soul, but I know one thing is certain," he then said as his hands flattened on her back, he leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead, "A life without you is not one that I want... A life of not being yours completely," he then said in a low tone as his eyes turned vulnerable, the gaze moving away like he was trying to hide it - However it seemed that he was regretting it as soon as he did it and his eyes went back to hers before he inhaled shortly, "Boadicea, I want to make you my wife," he then said, as he closed his eyes a bit and then shook his head at himself, "What I mean is. I dont have a ring at the moment, but will you marry me either way?" this time it came out with a slight hint of nervousness.

He was so far gone in his mind when she sat down next to him and pulled him close. How was it that she was actually the one comforting him, when it was her who had undergone a change? It didn’t matter right now. She loved him. He needed the comfort and she would do anything to help him. As she pulled away slightly she saw the blank look in his eyes, and it hurt her more than the hunger that had just gone through her. His low tone and explaination made sense, because she would have probably done the same if the roles were switched. ”Something I don’t want to be? Baal – are you saying your don’t like seeing me light up when I see your face?” she argued. Buffy knew it wasn’t what he meant, but she was going to ignore the obvious fact for a second. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze before entangling them as always. ”You’ve made my life happy, and you have changed me, for the better,” she said, looking into his eyes with a serious look. ”You’ve introduced love into my life; a love I’ve only read about in books and seen on movies,” she explained. She felt his grip on her sweater loosen and she met his gaze. He went on to explain his carelessness, bus she understood. She had been careless as well, but she had already felt what it was like to lose him. He moved his gaze away from her before he seemed to regret it and looked at her again.

His next words made her world stop for a second as the sentence made it’s way through her brain. His question made her chuckle as she placed a hand on his cheek, pulling him in to a kiss, gentle and tender as she moved her lips against his. ”Belial,” she said against his lips. It could be understood both ways, a start to a yes or an ending to a no. ”I don’t want you to marry me, because you feel obligated to do so,” she said looking at him with serious eyes. The last thing she wanted was for him to jump into this, because he felt like he needed to. As if she was a burden that only he could take care off, and offering his life in return for it. She was quiet for a while, looking down at their hands, still entangled, and she closed her eyes for a while. ”I do have a few conditions,” she said, breathing out and looking at him with vulnerable eyes. She wanted to marry him, there was no doubt in her mind, but if they were to function as a husband and wife, she would have to ask this of him. ”I want to be your equal; meaning I am not a burden for you to carry, my life is no more important than yours,” she said and looked into his eyes as she spoke. He needed to understand that she was done with the selfsacrifice he always put on for her. She didn’t mind it as much with him saving her life, but he would have to understand that sometimes faith had a twisted form of humor.

”I want you, no one else, and I hope you will follow suit, trying to not let your heart stray,” she whispered. She knew it was a stupid worry, because she could feel and see how much he loved her, but worry was a part of her. Losing him to death would be painful, but losing him to another lover would break her soul. ”If you can do this, I’ll marry you; ring or not,” she said, looking rather seriously into his eyes.

"I do... But I also know that you're hunting demons, and now you've become one," he then said blatantly as he couldnt ignore the truth of what he had done. Her words had been warm, but all he felt was something bittersweet. He had given her more time, but they wouldnt know how much. He felt the squeeze and pressed his fingertips on the back of her hand as she entangled their fingers. He listened to her and felt his heart beat faster at her words, his eyes gaining a vulnerability as he felt quite the same - In a different way but the feeling was the same. He wasnt sure he had loved anyone as much as he loved Buffy.
His proposal had been more than rash, and he wasnt sure what kind of answer he was going to get. He felt the hand on his cheek and her pull that connected their lips in that sweet way that always seemed to make his knees feel just a little bit weaker, before her whisper sent spikes of ice down his back and made him open his eyes. He gulped as she thought it was something he had done out of obligation, and somewhat it made him clench his jaw for a second as he looked at her. "You're anything but an obligation to me Buffy. Dont ever think I see you that way," he assured her as her eyes were closed. He seemed relaxed but he was so nervous.
He raised an eyebrow as she mentioned conditions, to raise it even more at the first. He shifted between her eyes for a bit, before he gave her a solid nod, "Of course," he added.
The second  made him frown. “Boadicea.” He said just seriously as her look. His eyes stern and steady as he stared into those beautiful green eyes. “I would never find a better or more true love in anyone but you,” he said as he then looked down at their fingers that were entangled. He was quite serious with his words which made his eyes a bit saddened, “It would tear my heart apart to see you with someone else. And I imagine it’s the same for you,” - “All I must beg of you is to trust me, just as I you,” he added as he moved his eyes up to hers, lifting his free hand to place it on her cheek, shifting between her eyes, “If that was all your conditions, then I shall uphold them. Please be mine,” the last part was almost in a begging tone as his hand gently ran up her cheek to place the palm against her skin as he looked deeply into her eyes. The please had been just the same as the first time they met and he had offered her his hand.

”Then I’ll add myself to that list – honestly, what do you want me to say to that?” she said breathing out. It was a bad joke, but what was he expecting her to say? That she hated her own existence? Not when she had so much to live for. Looking into his grey eyes, she saw the lovely glimpse of the small green flakes and she smiled. How anyone had ever made her feel like this was surprising, but he had just gotten the upperhand. He had mesmerized ehr since their first meeting, and being with him had filled her with so much hope and happiness. Stating her terms was weird, but she was sick and tired of him always placing her above him. She was not anything special in that regard, but wanting them to be equals, was that really so bad? Her second request might’ve been stupid, but she had to say it out loud. She had to get those worries out. Looking at his stern eyes she felt so drawn to him. His words so soothing to her. She leaned her head against his hand that he placed on her cheek and sighed as she looked at him. His begging words cutting into her heart. How could she decline? He had given her more than she could count on her fingers, shown her more than anything that he was who she was meant to be with.

”One last condition,” she said, leaning closer to him. She felt her heart rate go crazy and moved her hand up to his neck, looking him in his eyes. ”I’ll marry you, if you marry me,” she whispered and pressed her lips against his, letting out a sweet sigh as she felt his firm yet soft lips. Moving a bit closer to him in the process and deepening the kiss somewhat, because she couldn’t help herself. She only wanted him, for as long as she lived, she would want him and no other. Seperating their lips felt like comitting a crime, but that crime they had to do. This wasn’t the place for sweet touches like back at her place. Buffy bit her lip and looked him in the eye before giggling. Did they actually just get engaged? ”Belial, my first, my last, my fiancée and my soon to be husband? Quite the title, if you ask me,” she whispered in a tease, but she meant it. She didn’t care what her brother would think. Love was what meant something right now, and being with this demon was the love she had longed for. ”Do you want to go celebrate it?” she suggested looking at his eyes. She didn’t know what she meant by celebrating, because they couldn’t really go out to a fancy dinner – or well they could, but Baal wouldn’t enjoy it.

He wasnt sure what he wanted her to say. He wasnt really sure what he was saying himself. He just felt bad that he had done this to her.
When she said she had a last condition, he noticed how her heart was going faster, his hand instinctively placing itself on her collarbone like he had this need to feel it closer. He had always had a soft spot for hearing heartbeats, but hers was out of this world, in a way he couldnt describe. His eyes seeking hers as she looked into his, her whisper made his mind run wild and the intoxication almost seemed to take his breath away. A wide smile grew on his lips right before she kissed him, and his hands wrapped themselves around her as he pulled her closer, feeling the intensity of the kiss with a burning passion that filled his cravings to a point where he wasnt sure what to do with himself. The kiss deepened and his breath slowed unwillingly as he started craving her in a way that wasnt quite suitable to this public space. He let out a soft gasp as their lips separated, his mouth slightly open and his eyes filled with hunger.
Her whisper dragged him out of his lust and replaced it with pure joy as his face lit up with a smile that he had never made before, a smile filled with fulfillment, "Honourable title if you ask me," he said as he then stared at her for a bit. He started giggling like a little school boy as he nuzzled his face down into her hair, holding her as close as he could. "I'd love to. Anything for my lovely fiancé," he said. God it just felt so right to say. He couldnt wait for the day where he could call her his wife, and him her husband. Was this what true love really felt like? He hadnt felt it like this, not as intense and joyous.
He couldnt have been happier in this moment than he was now, as he finally felt wholly complete. He kissed her all over her face with joy and small chuckles leaving his lips, joyous laughter that he didnt even know he had in him. He moved his head back and placed a hand on her cheek, right as his expression drained and he looked breathless, but in a pained way. He clutched at his heart and started gasping for air like his lungs had been emptied in less than a second. His expression filled with anguish as his other hand grasped at the table, digging his nails into the wood. He clenched his jaw to hold back a scream, leaving muffled groans to forcefully trample at his vocal chords. His eyes widened as another sensation of sheer pain rushed through him, making him grit his teeth as hard as he could. He started choking for air and stare into the air as he realized what was causing this. “Ea....den...” his voice strained with pain as he leaned back and tried to control his breath. Now he knew, that if he were to die, he would only get one last chance. His damned son had just made sure of that.

Feeling his hand on her collarbone, she knew what he was after. He often spent hours before bed just listening to her heartbeat, and she found it so endearing. As she kissed him she fekt how he pulled her closer than normally and feeling herself wanting to just find their way back to an apartment and have this moment to themselves. A moment of heat and love, but she also felt too out of control to do that right now. She could feel his craving and she wanted so badly to just kiss him more. Deeper and tender. Feeling this feeling that only he installed in her system. Just looking in his eyes, Buffy knew the effect their kiss had had on him, and her heart skipped a beat as he said it would be an honor to have that title. Her cheeks got a faint rose color, and his giggles and nuzzles just made her so happy. Maybe happiness was posible, however long or short their happy time together could be. His lips moving all over her face and the small sounds escaping those lips of his was alluring. Her whole body relaxing and being tense at the same time as she joined him in the laughter. From the outside they might have looked a little crazy, but they were in fact lunatics. She didn’t mind though, as their emotions for each other were stronger than ever. As he pulled away, she leaned against his hand, turning her head and placing small kisses against his palm. Then she felt the shift.

It was painful somehow, watching him go from joyful to painful. What was going on? She wondered if something had happened to the wraith, or perhaps it was the artifact acting up. ”Baal,” she whispered carefully and placed a hand on his back, trying to understand. Trying to help when he was in such an immense pain. That’s when he said the name, or at least what she pressumed to be a name. ”Who’s that?” she asked, confused and not really understanding. Her heart bled for him, pained when he was in pain and joyous as he was happy. Her own green eyes seemed to light up shortly as something in her reacted to that pain he was feeling. Was it the fragment in her? She didn’t feel the pain that Baal felt, but she felt something more closely related to shivers of ice down her spine.

If people thought they looked crazy, Baal couldnt care less. He loved her and the joy she made him feel, and knowing that she wanted him to be her husband couldnt go without a little let loose on his emotional control. He hadnt ever been this giggily and happy, so it was nice to finally feel a moment where it felt as natural as now. She was his soulmate, not in the sense that she had a part of his soul, but because she made him whole.
He felt her hand on his back but he couldnt feel the calm and comfort that it usually gave him. Gasping out the name of his son was hard enough as it was, he wasnt sure he could tell her exactly what was going on. He leaned back against the chair and lifted his chin with his jaw clenched hard enough for the veins to show on his neck. He closed his eyes and focused on keeping his breathing slow, muffled groans of anguish trying to escape his closed mouth. The wraith came flying through the windows, screaming loudly as it flew above them, snipping it's scissors frantically in the air, "It hurts! It hurtsssss!!!" it screamed as it fell onto the table, reaching it's long arms out for the demon in front of it, grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer. Baal grabbed it's arms and yanked it off him before he stumbled onto his feet and grabbed the chair to avoid falling.
"He took our soul, master, our soul!" it screeched as it started clawing at it's own skull, scraping off pieces of bone till there was nothing but a hole left. Baal closed his eyes for a bit and sighed deeply as the pain slowly left him, leaving him feeling some sort of emptiness. "It's my son..." he said in a strained tone as he suddenly felt so drained. He opened his eyes and looked at Buffy. "He consumed one of my fragments in hell," he then said, not knowing if she would understand. He inhaled deeply and crunched his face in pain, for a bit before he lifted a shaking hand that he placed on her cheek. "I guess our celebration have to wait... I feel so exhausted all so suddenly," he then said as he staggered, his legs felt like jelly at this point, making it hard to stand if he wasnt holding onto the chair.

To say she was worried was an understatement, and as soon as the wraith showed up she frowned. It’s words almost echoing through the small café. However, she had to be a little grateful for it, as it told her what was going on. At least enough for her to understand what pain Baal was in. Buffy grabbed him, helping him to stand. She felt her heart sink at the thought. Hadn’t Baal lost enough of his soul already? The guilt had caught up with her, as she knew what he had sacrificed for her to live on. My son, he said and she nodded slowly, trying to follow his movements and just being there for him. Baal had mentioned him having a family once or twice, but she had never heard much about kids. ”He did what?” she said, a bit breathless as she now felt the fear set in. Of course she had heard what he had said, but it was complicated enough as it was to try and figure everything out. His hand was shaky and it was like she could feel the pain he was in. She got up from her seat and went around to place her arm around his waist, supporting his weight. ”Let’s get you something to eat, and then we can go home,” she said furrowing her brows. She was not going to let him leave yet, not now and not without her. Moving through the streets was fine, but Baal was a tall guy, while Buffy was a short person, however she did manage. Finding food for the demon in Southside was going to be easy, but she felt her body shake at the thought of him eating.

He looked at her with a serious expression as she seemed to want his words elaborated, "He's punishing me," he then said as he made a sharp inhale to control the pain that came and went. He felt her grab around him and leaned a bit onto her, though he wouldnt put all his weight on her. He sighed at her words and rubbed his temple with one hand as he clenched his jaw to silence a groan. "I'm sorry," he then said as they walked and looked at her. He felt bad that their moment of joy had been ruined, but he wasnt surprised in a way. His son had always found a way to press the right buttons at the right time.
His eyes moved ahead as the wraith flew past them, with it's skull now being a hole, it flew into lampposts and whatnot on it's way, screeching in pain at every impact. He turned his eyes up to the ghastly figure and lifted his marked hand as he mumbled dark demonic words, that made it fall through the ground and disappear. He closed his eyes for a bit and felt his knees give up all of a sudden. letting go of Buffy so she wouldnt fall with him. "Hngg..." he groaned as he fell against the wall, leaning against it as his legs were too wobbly to continue. "I cant go with you," he then said as he turned sad eyes to her and lifted his hand to bite at the mark. He drew his mark on the wall with a shaky hand and drowsily mumbled the summon to let the hound out.
The hound was just as drowsy as Baal, whining as it stumbled a bit around on it's feet, like it was standing on unstable ground, trying to gain some sort of balance. "He'll help you," he then said as he sat down and leaned his head back against the wall. He lifted his hand and mumbled a few more words that seemed to fuel the hound with energy - But it was his own, that only made him that more exhausted. The hound growled loudly and straightened itself on steady feet as it looked up at Buffy. "I'll be fine," Baal said in a tired tone as his eyes seemed to get heavier. "I'm sorry for always being so weak," he then said in a low tone as his drowsy eyes sought her green ones.

”Punishing you?” she mumbled, but it was mostly because she didn’t understand fully. Getting out to the street, Baal just seemed weaker and he started chanting summoning Spot to help her out. She greeted the hell hound, stroking it’s head and nodding at Baal. She leaned down to Baal, giving him a gentle peck on his lips before getting back up again. ”You are not weak, my love,” she said in a sad tone before she went off with Spot. She didn’t like leaving Baal behind like this, but getting a soul for him seemed like the only option at this point. Buffy still had a hard time understanding how souls worked as food, but it seemed more up to instinct rather than an actual craving like human food was to her. She managed to get a few souls, somewhat dark in their color, but she couldn’t bring herself to take from a pure soul, even if it would help him quicker. She went back to him, holding the souls to his lips and prayed that it was going to work. She looked at Spot with worried eyes before returning her gaze to Baal once more.

//Short – I’m sorry love <33//

He wanted to believe her words but he felt so weak that it couldnt be anything but the truth, at least in this moment. He watched her go with half closed eyes and tried his best to stay awake, small sensations of pain however made sure to keep him awake. He felt a presence nearby, but his senses werent at their best, so he couldnt tell what or who it may be. The hound followed Buffy and made a few howl here and there, it was hurting just as much as it's owner was. But he managed to aid her in getting the dark souls, stealing one for himself as they were collecting a few anyway. He looked at her and followed as they went back to give Baal the souls. Baal felt the souls against his lips and instinctively opened his mouth without really knowing what it was. He ate the souls she gave him and leaned his head back as he closed his eyes for a moment. "Thank you," he mumbled as he gave her a faint smile of gratitude.
"I thought I heard that damned dog howl from across the city," a voice similar to Baal's sounded, yet it had more of a young man's voice, like it was someone way younger. Eaden walked out from the shadows with a sly smirk painted on his face as he eyed his weakened father against the wall. His eyes quickly moved to the woman, and he narrowed his eyes as her scent caught his nose. "A hybrid. Half human, half us. Exciting," he said but it didnt really sound like it was as exciting as he implied it would be. He smiled at her as Baal turned his eyes to his son, gritting his teeth a bit as he felt his energy slowly come back as the souls settled in his body. "What do you want Eaden?" he asked in a tired tone as he placed a hand against the wall behind him and pushed himself onto his feet, staggering for a moment as he placed his hand on the wall to stabilize himself. Eaden scoffed. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up without the fragment. It was delicious by the way," he said with a devilish smile that were too much alike Baal's - But he did look more his father than he ever did his mother.
Baal sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "You havent changed a bit, you're still the same brat you've always been," he said with a disappointed tone that only made Eaden furrow his brows, "Yeah, 'cause you only liked Dinah, isnt that right? And if it wasnt her, it would be the damned humans," he said as his eyes went on Buffy as he said humans. His eyes had a flame behind them and it was clear that he didnt really like her, whoever she was. He lifted his hands and closed his eyes, "Let's see what I can do," he mumbled as he opened his eyes that had a slight grey glow behind them, using his bone manipulation on Buffy, that would make her bones feel like they were creaking inside her body.

”No need to thank me,” she said in a gentle tone and watched the guy walking closer. It was like seeing another Baal in front of her, and she had seen that before. She didn’t trust this situation one bit. She kept herself close to Baal, not sure what was going on. She could understand that this Eaden was his son, and this Dinah might be his daugther? Everything was a bit confusing, and as she stood there she suddenly felt an immense pain. She screamed as her bones seemed to move at their own will, making them twist and turn. She felt to the floor cramping as her body was having a hard time even understanding what was going on.

”Ead!” a brunette haired girl called, running to her brother and embracing him from behind. She snuck herself under his arm and looked up at him with messy hair from having run so far. ”I always have to clean up your messes in hell, why did you leave in such a hurry?” she demanded to know. Then her gaze fell upon her father not far from them and the hybrid on the ground, screaming in pain as Eaden toyed with her. A little light went on in her eyes and she turned her face to Eaden with a small devious smile on her lips. ”Let her go,” she said in a daring tone, it was clear she had a better idea, and she was eager to share it with her brother. Then she turned her face to Baal again, not letting go of her brother for a second. ”Hello father dear, I know I’ve grown quite a bit since you saw me last,” she said with a small giggle. She was clearly an angel, sweet and innocent, but that was only the surface. Underneath lurked something far more dangerous.

As Buffy screamed, Baal stepped threatingly forward towards his son with his teeth flaring in anger, "Stop it!" he said in a cold tone as he clenched his jaw so hard a vein was moving around on his neck. Eaden yawned and twisted his hand that would worsen the pain for just a little while before his attention was caught by a familiar voice. He turned his head back as Dinah came running, smiling as he felt her arms around him. He held her close as she crawled under his arm and looked at her with a soft smile. Baal's eyes widened and he was rendered speechless. "I didnt leave that much of a mess this time, you'll have to admit," he said with a smile as he ran his hand down her back only to press her back against him shortly after. He looked at the human as she dared him to let her go and returned her devious smile as he clenched his fist and let his manipulation stop.
Baal stared at Dinah with big eyes as he couldnt really believe what he was seeing. He helped Buffy back on her feet but never moved his eyes from his daughter, her words making him gulp as he then shook his head, "They told me you had died," he then finally said walking towards his children, when Eaden lifted his hand as a warning, "Stay back old man," he said in a stern tone as he then looked at the woman, "Dee, do your thing," he said with an evil grin and squeezed her arm gently.
"Dont," Baal said, moving in front of Buffy as he stuck his arms out to the sides, "I beg of you," he said in a pleading tone as he looked at his daughter. He was still so confused, how could she be here if everyone said she was dead? He had searched everywhere for her, he was sure he had.

”It was still a mess,” she said with a small giggle. Eaden had a way of making her smile and giggle as if it was how she survived. She could feel Baal’s eyes on her, but she didn’t care right now, she had her eyes on Eaden. How he pressed her closer made her feel safe and she then turned her eyes towards Baal as he spoke. She tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. ”The angel of death dying? Oh now you humor me father,” she said with a sweet voice. Eaden pulled her closer and she let out a small gasp, smiling as he told her to do her thing. She held out her hand, but her father moved in front of the hybrid like he didn’t care about his life. As if his life was less valueable than the hybrid. This made her chuckle lightly and let her hand down. ”What are your intentions with her? Impregnating her? Starting a new family? Trying to scramble together the life you once had?” she asked in a rather cold tone. She caught the glimpse of Buffy’s green eyes and gritted her teeth. She could feel something in that hybrid, and it made her chuckle to herself. She turned her face towards Eaden again, reaching up to cup his hand, pulling his face down to her. She leaned her lips towards his ear. ”Let’s wait until he has more to lose,” she whispered, knowing only Eaden could hear this. Then she leaned away before holding out her hand and removing Baal with a wave of darkness, letting another clump of darknes grab the hybrid. Buffy struggled, gasping for air as the darkness took a hold of her. ”She has so much time to live – so many things she hasn’t seen yet,” Dinah said with a calm voice as she studied Buffy’s eyes. She moved out of Eadens arms, even though he wouldn’t like it. She chuckled and walked closer to Buffy, holding Baal away with her wave of darkness. This power was draining on her, but because she had just been to hell, she had full energy to keep this up. ”I look forward to meet you again, stepmother,” she said, placing a hand on Buffy’s cheek. Then she moved back to Eaden, letting his safe arm embrace her as she once again was close with her brother. ”The best things come to those who wait,” she whispered to Eaden in a soft and almost loving tone, then started moving down the street with her brother.

Buffy gasped as her body fell to the floor after being released from the darkness. Pain still running deep in her bones as she started coughing and trying to catch her breath. What was she to do? She moved up, standing on her knees and palms as she tried breathing normally, which wasn’t easy. The darkness had been strong and her body was shaking after what Eaden had done to her bones.