"A-Adrien?!"

The calm smile that the teenage boy in front of Justin had caused chills to permeate through his bones. The sole touch on his shoulder nearly caused his body to grow numb.

Still, Justin maintained his sanity and consciousness.

"What did I say about calling out my name so flippantly?"

"A-ah my apologies." Justin found himself taking a few steps back to create some distance between him and Adrien before bowing his head in apology.

Before he could even leak out another word, a silhouette appeared right behind Justin, where he now stood. It belonged to none other than the same young man that he had tried to avoid proximity with.

"It's fine"

Justin froze in place, and Adrien smiled as he touched him from behind this time.

"Why are you looking so tense? You haven't done anything wrong have you?" He coiled closer to Justin, their faces mere inches apart from each other.

At this point, the lad's heart was racing rapidly.

Was this due to fear? How about natural subservience? It was both.

Justin had no choice but to tremble before Adrien, despite the both of them being supposedly peers. Perhaps this was just the inevitable reaction his body had to make when in the presence of the one who made it this way.

Either way, he had no choice but to keep his head lowered.

"N-nothing wrong. I've done what you asked me to. I was also about to call you, per our scheduled meeting period, but"

"I wasn't available right?"

Justin nodded as he heard those words of confirmation from Adrien.

"Forgive me for that. I just wanted a more physical interaction for once. Surely, you don't mind" At this point, Adrien stood in front of Justin, finally keeping a small distance between them both.

"I don't mind."

"Raise your head, Justin. There's no reason to act so tense, is there? We're on the same side, so it's fine"

Justin knew those sentiments existed in words alone. Adrien had always been fond of exercising courtesy in the way he addressed people, but based on his expression and actions, it was clear he didn't particularly feel that way.

He never saw Justin as a peer or equal.

'I'm just a tool for him and that's okay.' He told himself, obediently raising his head per the instruction he received.

'As long as he fulfills his end of the deal, I can even lick his boots.'

"Justin why did you choose to work with me again?" Adrien interrupted his thoughts with a rather unexpected question.

It took Justin off-guard for a moment, considering how he was just thinking along those lines. He felt a little annoyed that he was being probed about such a personal matter, but he didn't really have a choice in this, did he?

"What are you talking about? You were the one who approached me with the deal"

"Then why did you choose to accept it?"

Justin clenched his fists for a few seconds before loosening it and giving out a sigh. He truly had no choice in this matter/

"I want survive in this world and return home, and you had the means to make me stronger and immortal by turning me into an Undead. That way I could make it back home in one piece and see my family again."

Of course, Justin was just glossing over everything but that was all he had to say.

'He doesn't need an extensive sob story about my girl back home, or the sickness that ah, no nevermind that.' He shook off his thoughts and focused on the moment.

There was nothing he wouldn't do to see them again, which was why he was betraying his comrades despite all they had been through together.

'Eric and Billy died and no one even knows where Adonis is. He could even be dead by now. I I can't afford to risk my life if it means I might not get to see them again'

Yes, he loved his friends, and he loved the people of this world

'But my loyalty lies with my family back on Earth. They're my first priority, and they need me back home.'

No silly jokes or fun games could distract him from that fact.

"How touching" A voicedifferent from the one he had been hearing all of this timeechoed in the air. This one also felt familiar, but for another reason entirely.

As Justin lifted his eyes and focused on the entity before him, he realized it wasn't Adrien.

It never was.

The crimson hair of the ebony man danced with the wind as his red eyes warbled with fascination. He had a cruel smile plastered on his face, and he was garbed in an all-black suit, with polished shoes, and an overall pristine image.

As the image burned into Justin's mind, he found his lips unconsciously moving to let out the name that pounded in his head.

"A-Ater y-you're"

"Indeed, Justin. Nice deductive skills you have there." The response was sarcastic, but Justin had no opportunity to feel slighted by those words.

He was dancing on the edge of confusion and fear.

'What's happening here? Did he transform into Adrien to fool me? D-does that mean he knows about my deal with him? I-if that's the case, then everyone everyone will know!'

Beads of sweat fell from Justin's face as he stared widely at Ater.

"Tsk, tsk you never listen, do you?" Ater clicked his tongue as he slowly approached Justin.

Normally, the boy would have taken a few steps backeven if out of reflexbut this time he found himself unable to move in the slightest.

He just watched as the being of darkness approached with the force of malevolence.

"I told you to relax." Ater placed both hands on Justin's shoulder this time, staring down at him with his devilish smile.

"... Enjoy the weather."

Justin found himself gulping, feeling himself get crushed under the overwhelming presence that Ater exuded.

There was no escape for himnone at all.