Once she was done changing into pink and silky pajamas, she walked to her brother’s room with her aunty holding her hand. Ever since he mentioned something about requests, her auntie had been out of it. Blushing ear to ear the entire time. Even as they walked to his room her gaze had been glued to the floor with her free hand gripping nervously on her maid dress. Not to mention how sweaty and clammy her hand became.

All of this and her brother’s creepy request to talk to her planted a seed of worry in the young girl.

“Auntie,” she called, getting a jolt from Baranda as she snapped out of her thoughts.

“Y-Yes Maze?” She stuttered, the blush on her still prevalent.

“What is a “Request”?” Maze innocently asked, figuring she needed a distraction from her anxiety.

“Oh, uhm… a request is…” Her auntie trailed off as she thought of a way to answer the young girl. “A request is the act of asking for something politely or formerly.” She answered, going for the standard answer to that question.

“Then why did you get so jumpy when big brother requested for you? You are our Maid, and I request a lot from you. So why is it different when it’s him?” Her question was innocent, but the answer she sought for, not so much.

Telling her would be very irresponsible of me. Come on Baranda, you’re the adult here, so fucking act like it! Baranda inwardly debated on a way to tell her without ruining the little girl’s innocence, she had yet to explain the birds and the bees to her, and she highly doubted her mother had given her the same liberty.

“Is it marriage? Is brother asking you to be his wife?” Maze asked, desperate to get an answer out of her.

“Oh I wish it was. Even if your brother wanted to marry me, my status as both his maid and a Southerner would only make me his concubine.” Baranda couldn’t help it. Lying to Maze was simply out of the question for her, and in her defense, Maze had never asked her such a hard question.

“Then what is it.” The girls arrived to the front of his door. It was made of gum-gum tree. A tree that wasn’t found in any of the human territories. Knocking on it gave the sound of a bouncy thud and the scent it gave off was like a soothing mint. Probably the reason why Marcus was so calm and soft-spoken most of the time.

Giving a final sigh, Baranda tried to explain it in as soft a way as possible. “Requesting is asking for someone to be as close as possible to you. It’s usually done by male guest or in some cases even the master can request for us. It is not up to us to deny a request unless we already have someone who has requested for us.” Maze looked at her feet as she started digesting what her aunty explained.

“So can someone request you forever?” She asked, looking at her auntie with her innocent onyx eyes.

“Uhm… yeah, but only a master can do that. Guests would have to buy the maid to do that, and most masters aren’t cheap with their maids.” She finished explaining, smiling at her own reassurance that she’d never be sold to some other family. Though the Schmidts’ had their rough moments they at least treated all their maids with respect. She had a home, 3 meals a day, a comfortable bed and she got paid on top of that. It was a good life, one she’d never trade for anything else.

“Well then, since I’m your master. After you’re done with big brother’s request, I request for you to stay with me forever!” Maze declared, a determined flame burning behind her eyes.

Baranda was left speechless as a warm feeling grew in her stomach. Despite all the privileges she had as a maid, she couldn’t deny the fact that the little, mischievous girl, staring at her with hopeful eyes, was the best part of her job. The red on her cheeks grew, but this time it was not to Marcus’s influence.

She released Maze’s hand and pulled her in for a side hug. “Shut up you little brat, you’re making me blush.”

Maze giggled and wrapped her arms around her auntie. Her face resting happily on her bosom.

“I love you, auntie.”

“I love you too, Mazekien.”

Their moment was soon interrupted as the door opened with Marcus standing there. He had changed out of his fur coat and pink blazer, still wearing his pink suit pants and a white shirt. Maze did note how long it took for him to answer the door as the were standing there for longer than it would take for him to answer his door.

“I’m glad you could make it, dear sister.” He said, having returned to his usual self.

“It’s not like you gave me much of a choice, crybaby.” She teased, poking at his earlier breakdown.

“That’s golden coming from you, weren’t you pulled from the party because you were rolling in the mud with some stranger?” He shot back.

“Which was tons more fun than talking to boring old men all day.” Maze stuck out her tongue defiantly.

“Other than your childish ramblings I believe we do have a serious matter to discuss in regards to that party.” Maze flinched, the reminder of what she was really there for returning her previous anxiety.

She gave her auntie a final squeeze before letting go and walking in her brother’s room.

“As for you Baranda, I’ll be expecting you to join me after you put this little brat to sleep.” Marcus instructed as he closed the distance between them, their lips being a breath away from each other.

Baranda was about to answer before her eyes met with Maze who was staring at them intently. She took a step back from him and bowed.

“Yes, young master.” She answered plainly, with her composure returned to her. Baranda straightened herself and passed Maze a warm smile before turning to leave.

Marcus scratched his head, noting the oddity of her behavior. It was a rare occasion for anyone to resist his advances like that. But labeling the moment as trivial he turned to his little sister whom looked at him with a smug smile.

“I guess I’m the one who won aunties heart after all.” She teased.

“Don’t be childish Maze, there’s way more important things here to discuss.” Maze tensed up, as she was not ready to hear what that entity actually was or why he was so afraid of it. There was so many questions circling her head and she could sense that once they were answered nothing would ever be the same. But, in the midst of all her thinking, she was hoisted off the floor. Her feet dangling in the air as she got into a state of panic. Before she could register what was going on she was thrown on to her brother’s bed.

The sudden action disoriented her as she picked herself up, only for a pillow to come slamming into her face.

“You come to my domain, unarmed, and not expect an ambush? Our time apart has seemed to dull your senses dear sister.” Marcus spoke proudly with loud bravado. A medium sized pillow in one hand and a big pillow on the other.

Finally getting her bearings Maze grabbed the pillow she was hit with and readied herself.

“I came here seeking answers, but if it’s blood you want then it’s blood you shall receive!” She lunged at him swinging her pillow with as much force as her skinny arms could muster.

Marcus blocked with the big pillow, creating an opening for him to swing, but just as he motioned for the swing another pillow hit him square on his exposed face, causing him to miss her entirely.

“You throw me in your armory expecting me to attack with only one sword. You are the one whose senses has dulled, dear brother.” Marcus chuckled, forgetting how crafty his sister could be in pillow fights. It was perfect. This was the best way he could think of telling her about their family’s dealings.

“If it’s answers you seek, dear sister, then satiate my hunger for battle to hear it all.” Maze hesitated, finally understanding Marcus’s purpose with the pillow fight. She wasn’t ready to hear it, but through their makeshift battle, she would try to understand her family’s mysteries.

“Alright then. Come at me!” She declared proudly as she charged at him. Swinging her duel wielded pillow to try to expose his defenses. Marcus was able to keep up with her, blocking all her attacks with the larger pillow while readying a big swing with the medium pillow.

Once he found his opening he swung, being wary of her second pillow this time, but his swing connected with nothing but air as her small and agile body evaded his attack. The Wind-God gymnast classes were paying off for her.

“I hope you’re ready,” He kept up his attack, despite not being able to hit her.

“That entity we saw, it was not Akuma.” He swung from above his head, his pillow hitting the floor as she evaded yet another one of his attacks. She readied the counter with her own pillow before her face got bashed by the pillow she thought he was using as a shield.

“What we saw was a collector. A demon used to make and collect payments for contracts. You broke the contract all the members of the church have when you looked up to see it.” Maze looked at him with confusion woven in her eyes.

“So what if I broke a contract? I can just ask mom or dad to pay them off for me and everything will be okay, right?” She lunged at him and faked an attack which he fell for, leaving him open for a pillow shot on his side.

“The price for breaking that contract, is your life.” Marcus countered with a strike with his large pillow and sent her rolling on the floor. A long quiet fell on the siblings as she slowly began to pick herself up.

“You’re lying.” She said, “You’re lying! Demons and Monsters are just fairy tales, right? They can’t be real… Tell me you’re joking!” She shouted, looking at her brother with watery eyes, only to see the regretful look on his face.

“Marcus, please! This isn’t funny.” She crawled to her brother trying her hardest to see behind his downcast eyes. He was serious. The girl broke down in tears, unable to hold herself back. Marcus knelt by his sister and took her in his arms.

“Our parents worship a Demi-God named Akuma. He offers them the 6000-year knowledge of human history and protection against all their enemies. Unfortunately, this means our parents have to surrender their freedom. Everything they’ve done up to this point has been to please this deity, hence the cold and unloving puppets we know today.” Marcus gripped her shoulders tight at the thought but calmed himself immediately. He was her only pillar of strength.

“Marcus,” Maze called out in between her sobs. “I don’t wanna die!” She tightened her embrace around his chest, hoping that he wouldn’t slip away from her.

“That’s why I’m telling you all of this, dumdum,” He brushed her soft silky hair, prompting her to look up at him. “I’m not gonna allow the collector to touch a single hair on your body.” He said, a kind and gentle smile draped his lips, but Maze could feel it. Despite his bravado, he too was scared.

“You can’t promise that.” She whispered in his chest.

“Of course I can, and can I tell you why?” Maze just looked at him, the moon reflecting on his pale skin. “It’s because Heaven exists.” He answered.

“A place in the sky where all the souls of the innocent reside. To live in eternal joy with the ones they love. Souls taken by the collector cannot go there, but the collector can eat a fat one. Your wonderful big brother has already booked you a spot up there and there’s nothing it can do about it.” Maze stared at his eyes, expecting this to be another act of bravado, but there was nothing deeper than the sheer love and determination that burned in his them.

“Bu… But how?” She asked, her tears being brushed away by Marcus’s thumb. He planted a kiss on her forehead, before holding her in a tight embrace.

“Because I love you, you brat. There’s no God in the Heavens or Demon in Hell that will ever separate us from each other.”

The two sat there for a while together. Warm in each other’s embrace. It was quiet. A long and comforting silence that didn’t disturb the conversation between their hearts. Maze could feel her eyes grow heavy; sleep was imminent.

“Can I sleep with you today?” She asked, looking up at her brother with pleading eyes. Marcus chuckled, “Unfortunately, I’ll need you to stay in your room until I’m done.”

Maze’s head dropped in disappointment. “And besides, Tiffany’s here, so you won’t be needing me.” Immediately Maze’s eyes beamed with joy as that childlike smile returned to her for a second before she caught herself.

“Oh, uhm, I’m sorry, it’s just…” She tried to go back to her somber mood, thinking that it wasn’t the right time for her to get excited.

“The chocolates and sweets are in my closet. Share it between each other, but don’t eat them all.” Seeing her brother’s warm smile return, she jumped off him to go collect her treasure.

Seeing his sister dig through his stuff brought a genuine smile to his face, but it slowly vanished when he looked at the blade hidden in his sleeve and the strands of hair he had cut off without her knowing. I’m such a coward. He thought to himself. But this should be enough of a sample to cover it. He hid the weapon and hair, walking to assist his sister with bagging the boat load of candies he had in his disposal.

Once she was done he walked her to his door. “Oh and, make sure not to tell anyone of about what I told you.” He gestured his lips getting zipped. Maze nodded, mimicking the gesture but adding a lock and then throwing away the metaphorical key.

She walked her way into the passage before stopping and turning back to him.

“If I hear anyone mention this then I’ll murder you okay!” She had an embarrassed flush to her cheeks as she struggled to make eye contact with him. He looked at her, curiously wondering what she’d say to him. Her eyes scanned the floor for a moment before her lips curled into a smile.

“I love you too, Marcus.”