Cobalt stared hard at the teabag in his hand, silently wondering whether it was worth boiling at that time of night. Normally, he wouldn't have given it a second thought, but no he had to wonder whether he could afford another cup of tea that day. Living on a reduced wage was difficult enough, what with the reparations he had to pay for damage caused by Izzbelle's rampage. But now that he had sacrificed his entire pay in order to help keep the school afloat... well...

He felt fairly stupid.

With a sigh, he set the teabag aside and quietly rolled himself over to his couch. He let his emotions get the better of him, he could admit as much. With his colleagues' eyes bearing down upon him and the Headmistress' ire burning the back of his neck, he felt the need to speak up, to show them all that he was willing to bear the consequences of his actions.

But was it worth living on nothing for whoever knows how long...?

"I suppose I could suffer the canteen food for a while," the Incubus murmured, easing himself out of his wheelchair.

Still, food wasn't his only concern now. Without money, he wouldn't be able to afford sewing supplies, which didn't bode well if he needed new clothes in the future. Being an Incubus, he was forced to learn his way around a needle from a young age, considering how most men's clothing lacked suitably-sized wing and tail holes. And on top of all that, things like stationary didn't cost much when bought by themselves, but with the amount of pen-ink Cobalt went through in a week, the expenses tended to pile up.

"Should have kept your bloody mouth shut, Trayer..."

Wiping his brow, the Incubus pulled out his phone and flipped it open. Ignoring the thirty text messages he received from Alison, he selected his mother's numbers and rang it.

"Hello?"

Cobalt cleared his throat and leaned forward. He always felt a little awkward speaking to his family, especially over the phone.

"Hi Mom," he sighed.

He brought the phone a foot away from his ear as she suddenly shrieked with delight.

"Ahh, it's been so long, snookums! How's my baby boy been?!"

Cobalt frowned. Ah, of course; he had forgotten about his lifelong pet name.

"I- I'm fine, Mom."

"I can't believe you haven't called to the house yet! Your sisters have already come home for the winter!"

"Yeah, um..."

He slumped back into the couch.

"It's about the money I've been sending you. I'm... not going to be able to anymore. At least not for a while."

He heard her sigh.

"Snookums, I told you didn't have to. I'm doing alright; you ought to keep that money for yourself."

"Well... I'm just letting you know. The school's hit a bit of a financial rough patch, and..."

"I could send you some?"

Cobalt shook his head.

"No, no... I'm not borrowing money off you, Mom," he stated.

"Oh it wouldn't be a loan. It's a gift!" his mother laughed.

The Incubus took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. As much as he need money, he wasn't about to take handouts from his family.

"No. Thank you, but no. I made this bed, and I have to lie in it."

"Aw, my baby's all grown up~!"

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He leaned forward and glanced up at the ajar door of his wardrobe. Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he reached up and lightly touched a strand of his messy hair.

"Mom?" he asked, only noticing now that one side was slightly longer than the other.

"Yes, snookums?"

He swallowed hard and bit the bullet. It wasn't like he could avoid his mother forever.

"Would it be alright if I popped over this weekend? For a trim?" he asked, rolling a lock of hair between his fingers.

This time he nearly dropped the phone as his mother squealed with delight.

"I have to get the house tidied then, don't I! Oh, Azzy's gonna be so happy you're coming to visit!"

He blanched. Out of all of his sisters, Azul tended to be the most... erratic.

"Oh Hell... Look, Mom, it's been lovely chatting to you, but I have to go now. I have a lot of work to get done."

"Aw, so soon? But I thought we could catch up..."

He heard a tapping on the window behind him, causing Cobalt to frown.

"I'd love to, Mom, but there's someone at the wi- the door."

"I thought you said you had work to-?"

"Bye Mom, see you on Saturday!"

Snapping the phone shut, Cobalt tossed it onto his coffee table and took a deep breath. For once in his life, he was thankful that Karazelle interrupted when she did. It wasn't that he disliked his mother - he loved her to death - it was just that she tended to be quite... traditional. Which wouldn't be such a bad thing, if she wasn't a Succubus.

He heard the window slide open.

"Need something, Miss Terna?" he asked, still unused to calling the Succubus by her surname.

A frigid hand suddenly grasped the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry, my love? Did you say something?"

Shocked by both the freezing grasp and the sudden voice, he tried to jolt out of his seat, only for his legs to fail him. As his knees buckled and his ankles folded, Cobalt crashed into his coffee table, knocking everything to the floor. Crying out in pain, he rolled over onto the floor.

There, standing in his windowsill like a spectre, was Elya. She had discarded her spectacles and her uniform, dressed in naught but her dirty white coat. From where he lay on the floor, Cobalt could see just how far the wounds on her stomach stretched.

She had not been kind to herself.

"E- Elya...!" Cobalt guttered, shuffling back as the Fallen stepped into his room.

"Martha Cain shan't sleep well tonight, not with a pillowcase full of needles," she sighed, twirling Immoderata across the back of her hand.

Her violet eyes flashed.

"She ought to choose her words more carefully next time."

"What do you want, Elya?" Cobalt asked, scuttling back onto his futon, only to hit the wall.

Elya straightened up and sheathed her blade, only to freeze up. She stood there for a few moments, before she slumped a little and delved a hand into her pocket.

"... Here..." she said quietly, producing a brown paper envelope.

She tossed it at Cobalt's feet and closed her coat up, shuffling about uncomfortably. Raising his eyebrow, he reached down and gingerly picked it up between his thumb and forefinger. He tried to be wary around gifts from Elya; had had received envelopes full of her hair in the past.

But as he opened the envelope, he was shocked to find that it contained a neatly-folded pile of brand notes. Staring hard at the money, Cobalt turned his gaze to Elya's green eyes.

Wait...

"What's this?" he asked, baffled out of his mind.

She shrugged and turned away.

"You... need money, right?"

"Elya..."

"I don't..."

She suddenly stumbled, almost tripping over the coffee table. Shaking her head, Elya ran a hand through her alabaster hair and took a deep breath. Fixing Cobalt with a violet stare, she gave him a petrifying grin.

"I have no need for the paper they serve me for my services. Since you sacrificed yourself so valiantly, I am more than willing to give you my share, my love."

He flicked through the banknotes. There was almost two months wages in there!

"E- Elya, I can't accept this!" the Incubus guttered, handing it back.

She shook her head slowly.

"I have no need of money, my love. I only require you to survive," she replied, creeping forward.

Cobalt swallowed hard, sweat forming on his brow as he realised that this time, he couldn't run.

"Your lingering gaze... Your gentle touch... Your soothing voice... Your intoxicating scent... Your delectable taste...

She pressed him down into the futon, crawling forth on all fours as she dragged her body against his.

"You provide me with everything, my love. Every moment with you is like a feast... and I am ever-hungry...!"

Forcing his shirt open, she pushed the Incubus' head aside and opened wide. Before he could react, she bit his neck. Hard.

"GAAH!"

Her teeth did not pierce his skin, but Cobalt struggled regardless as the Fallen wrapped her arms around her, pinning him in place. Her cool tongue greedily lapped at his skin, as though she was drinking his terrified sweat. As quickly as she forced herself upon him, Elya pulled away, saliva trailing from her lips.

"Nectar, plain and sweet..." she gasped, eyes rolling back into her head.

Licking her lips, the Fallen pulled away and placed a bare foot upon the sill.

"I will always be there for you, my love. With matters monetary or otherwise..."

Her eyes glinted.

"... I will always... be... there..."

And with that, Elya slinked out the window. Stepping out onto the support beam, she shot a scornful glare towards Karazelle's window before she spread her stony wings and swooped off into the night.

Though he could still feel the teethmarks on his neck, he couldn't help but feel like he got off lightly that time. Picking the envelope up, he nervously flicked through the brands within. He knew Elya wasn't one for luxuries, but could she really get by on nothing?

Swallowing hard, he split the stack in half. Placing one set of banknotes into his wallet, he set the others in a neat pile on his coffee table.

"I- I'll give the rest back tomorrow..."