First Demonic Dragon

Chapter 1064: The Old Friend Archetype

The twins are very popular figures.

Like Nubia, they make lots of friends and play a far more active role in Tehom’s community than the rest of the family does.

Yes, that occasionally means that they go out partying with figures whom their father would not approve of.

But given the fact that he had yet to actually kill them or anyone they associated with, he must not have been too bothered, right?

With the twins’ popularity, they naturally have their fair share of suitors.

Yemaya has always been a sweetheart. She refuses those that come after her with grace and sincerity, so even those who get rejected end up feeling slightly uplifted.

Yemaja is a stone wall. She likes to dance and flirt, and play with just about anyone, but the second someone tries to pursue more, they usually meet a cold, harsher side to her.

But among their numerous friends and flirtatious advances, the girls have only ever had one friend who was shared between them.

“”Ryu!!””

Yemaya and Yemaja gleefully threw themselves at the black haired golden dragon.

A few feet away, Ziz stood there watching from the corner, his expression neutral, but his aura was bright green.

“What are you doing here? I haven’t seen you in years!” Yemaja gushed.

Ryujin smiled nervously. “Ah, well… I suppose I’ve just grown tired of being estranged. I finally forced these bones of mine to work up the courage to see you both again. Apologies for staying away so long.”

“I want an apology as well!” Abaddon yelled from the sofa. “You just spontaneously stopped showing up to guy’s night, you flakey piece of shit!”

“I-I’m sorry, but- Hey, why do you look eighteen?”

“That’s not the point right now! I was also heartbroken!” Mateo pointed at him angrily. “You were my partner in dominoes. I got stuck with Asmodeus after you left!”

Ryujin’s face went pale. “Holy shit, I’m sorry…”

“You were supposed to keep bringing us tonkatsu on Friday nights, too! We had to get Tatiana to start making it!” Satan roared.

“The fuck is wrong with my wife’s tonkatsu?” Bekka growled, and her eyes became dangerously bright.

“Nothing. She just gets really bitchy when I ask her to make it.”

“That’s because she doesn’t like you.”

“Well, that just seems like a character flaw if you ask me.”

While Bekka shoved Satan’s head into the fireplace, Ryujin tried to fend off a room full of angry old friends.

“I… made some mistakes, I won’t lie about that. But I’m hoping to make up for them with all of you right now.”

In a twist that no one was expecting, Ryujin suddenly kneeled in front of the twins with a large bouquet of flowers held out.

Silence flooded the room.

Except for Satan, of course, who wouldn’t be quiet even when he was being assaulted.

“Fucking hilariou-”

Bekka shoved a smoldering block of wood down his throat.

After taking a few breaths and summoning his courage, Ryujin reached a point of no return.

“I’ve… stayed away for quite a long time because I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with all of these feelings.

For a while, they felt beneath me, and I… wasn’t quite sure how I was supposed to contend with wanting something so badly while also being ashamed of it.

I cut contact because being around the two of you and your family was more difficult for me than you could have realized.

I dreaded rejection. And I thought that it was better to keep my feelings a secret until I figured out what to do with them. But… now I’m here.

I don’t expect either of you to drop everything just because I finally figured out my shit.

But I wanted to make you aware that I… am seeking your hand in courtship. And it would be my greatest honor if you would both accept me.” He finished.

“Bleh.” Straga stuck out his tongue.

Monica responded to his childishness by chopping her husband in the neck.

Other than the murmuring of a few individuals who found amusement in this situation, the room was noticeably silent and tense.

Ryujin was sweating like a pig outside of a slaughterhouse. In thousands of years of being alive, this was, bar none, the most stressful thing he had ever done.

The only thing that made this situation worse was Abaddon’s gaze. Or rather lack thereof.

His hand covered his eyes as he turned his head to the ground. Not looking up for any reason.

’Don’t tell me… does he disapprove..?’ Ryujin was horrified internally.

He thought they had a good repertoire! So why did Abaddon look like he had just died inside!?

“Honestly… it took you long enough to ask.”

Ryujin was surprised when Yemaya suddenly threw herself at him once again.

Though unlike before, this time came with a kiss on the cheek and a rush of perfume in his nostrils.

Ryujin felt his whole body start to limp.

“…I can’t believe that worked.”

“No need to be so surprised. That pretty speech just now wasn’t only for show, was it?”

“O-Of course not, I just-”

“Thought I’d say no? Seems my new man has some self-esteem issues.”

If Ryujin turned into a pool of wet mush within a few seconds, no one would even be surprised.

Half delirious, he turned his head towards Yemaja, who still had yet to give him an answer.

In truth, Yemaja was the one he was most worried about.

He had seen firsthand the way she’d rejected men who’d tried to hit on her in bars. He knew her well, but not well enough to know how she would react to his confession.

And judging by the complicated look on her face, her answer was not one that he was going to cheer about.

“Ryu…” She began. “T-The thing is, I’ve already begun seeing someone. Ziz, in fact.”

At that moment, the golden bird appeared at her side with a massively unlikeable smile.

“That would be me, I’m afraid. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, but really, we’re a party of two over here, so only one golden boy around.”

Ryujin raised his brow in confusion.

“And you are…?”

“…You’re joking, right? Ziz. The Immortal Phoenix.”

“I thought that was Lady Erica..?”

“I’m one of god’s great trinity! You know, the Golden Phoenix to rule the sky, the two-headed Leviathan to rule the seas, and the Behemoth to rule the Earth-”

“Oh, Behemoth? I haven’t seen her in ages…” Ryujin muttered.

“Dude, what the fuck…” Ziz was exhausted.

Thrudd sat up on the couch abruptly. “Hang on there, golden boy. Bebe’s taken already, so whatever the fuck you think you knew about her, or thought you had, is in the goddamn past!”

Ryujin almost got whiplash from the sudden hostility. “What the hell are you talking about? Isn’t she feral? She tried to eat me!”

“Yeah, well, she’s eating me now, and she doesn’t miss a spot, you piece of-”

“Christ, Thrudd! That’s not what he meant! Behemoth actually tried to eat him!” Yemaya yelled.

All of the color left Thrudd’s face at once. “….Oh.”

Slowly, she sat back down and pulled a pillow over her lap. She timidly looked towards her father and found him lying face down on the floor.

“…Hey, dad, you know what I said earlier, I was just-”

“Thruddie, darlin, I already know, and I don’t want to think about it. And I’m warning you that if you make me think about it, I am going to find some way to kill myself in front of you.”

“I think that’s for the best.”

Everyone in the room felt a mix of pity and amusement for the two of them.

Ryujin had a small smirk on his face as he swallowed back his laughter. “I see not much has changed around here… Though, Thrudd seems to have finally lost her virginity, and I can’t say that I ever saw that one coming.”

The entire room burst out into a fit of laughter. All except for Ziz, of course, who still didn’t find anything about this situation amusing.

Least of all, the way Yemaja seemed to be eating up everything the shiny dragon said.

Ziz didn’t even see the big deal about this guy. He thought he looked far better than Ryujin.

Sure, the dragon god had long, glossy black hair that looked more radiant than a new pearl.

Okay, so maybe his porcelain skin was baby nevi’im smooth. So what if his yellow eyes were sharp, piercing, and thoughtful?

Who cared if he was seven feet tall and as handsome as he was scaly?

Ziz didn’t give a fuck. Not a single one.

Because he was still the motherfucking Golden Bird. The Immortal Phoneix. (The Second one.)

And he already had the prize. And nothing was going to come between him and Yemaja, no matter what.

*Yawn* Belphegor entered the room after spending enough time eavesdropping. “I don’t see what the big deal is. You’re the stronger one, right? Just date ’em both… We got any scones?”

At that moment, Ziz heard something in the back of his mind shatter.

“…What?”