Happy poopoo birthday to me! Here's a late update, enjoy! Art by le me!

RECAP: You and Jevil finally met Susie, Kris and Ralsei locked in the dungeon while secretly sneaking out of the castle. Pretending like everything is under the King's control, you are trying to outsmart the guards and to think of an escape for you and the kids

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"But can we just imagine..."

You turned facing Doctor ██ ████, Who leaned on your working desk.

"What limits are there for a soul if it contains massive amounts of determination?"

You joined ████'s theories by traveling into the enormous tunnel of possibilities running in your mind: "well, so far we know for a fact that determination can bring both physical and metaphysical phenomenons."

████ gazed at you, rubbing his boney chin in deep thoughts, contemplating.

"Yes, absolutely, but what if determination led into a bigger will for physical strength. Could a human or a monster control their own soul even when their health is fatally reduced?"

"Oh, you mean... if in danger, a massively determined soul could stay alive despite being almost on a brink of death?"

"Yes!"

"Well," You thought once more, you and Dr. ████ shuddering at a thought of a soul containing so much determination. Whether it was possible or not, an imaginary hypothesis of a SOUL overfilling with unhealthy power and level of Violence was horrific.

"I don't know, honestly it's even terrifying to think about it. I never was a 'physically willing to fight' kind of person - so i hold no chances of even imagining someone with so much might or determination."

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But every memory exists only to be permanently forgotten like a cursed spell, or saved like a delightful charm. Nonetheless, you felt a voice calling for you. With a nudge to your ribs, you jerk awake only to meet Jevil's smile on top of you. "I had to wake you up because you weren't listening, listening."

"Ah, my bad," - you rubbed your eyes "I'm dozing off."

"You've been doing it quite a lot lately. Perhaps you're getting very little sleep? Or you found my company quite boring..."

"How could you say that? No," - you snuggled closer, using Jevil as your pillow, you let your head rest on top of his chest "Our midnight sneaks from the castle ruined my sleep cycle completely..."

Sitting on top of the enormous bed of soft duvets and pillows, Jevil held you closer to him as you two spent the dawn of evening in the secret company of each other.

It was, after all, a normal routine for you two. When the clock struck day time, you'd spend your time with the King and his son. The Darkners attention and gossips were all but directed towards you - regardless, a Grand-Lightner holding companionship with the ruler of Darkeners wasn't something to ignore.

But little do these small beings know, that a certain Devil of a Clown would follow you behind, like a ghost in the shadows, hiding in the darkened facade of your sweet smiles.

Whereas at night, when no prying eyes or ears were appointed, Your full attention and adoring smiles would be his and his only.

"You lighteners surely require a lot of sleep...Dreamy, Dreamy sleeps."

"Eh, I don't mind it really." - you replied, knowing very well that you can't complain when he was your only companion in crime. After all, you two still schemed on secretly releasing Susie, Kris, and Ralsei out of the King's grip. But you two had to act with utter carefulness to outsmart the whole army of royal guards.

And as much as you took these actions with unconditional seriousness - Jevil, on the contrary, saw it as a game. A sweet ballad between you and him.

"I hope I'm not the only who's overworking you as of late. You've been using your power very often... and metamorphing around so fast? Aren't you exhausted?"

"Sleep is a foredoomed ally, a cursed one at this kind of epoch... but Kindness must be repaid with kindness." - He noted dramatically, his voice is warm "Besides, I happen to find you occupying a priceless, priceless company around you dare I say."

Unhesitantly, the Jester's hand found it's way to your torso as it radiates warmth on the back of your waist. He's never been shy over physical contact - as physical as anything can be in a realm of darkness - but you learned to appreciate his little comfort.

"Buddy, You're barely holding your eyes open. I see that you're tired." - You diverged with his amusing efforts to stay awake, yet Jevil's response was an iconic display of sticking his tongue out while pouting (You learned it was his weapon of rebellion)

"No-No."

"Even when you haven't slept in, like, a week?"

"Even when I haven't slept in a week." - Jevil mumbled, looking down at you in his arms "You're doubting my powers, my Lightner, proclaiming me to not withstand my abilities! Yet say, say - aren't you masking your own exhaustion?"

"Don't change the topic, Jevil."

"Oh yeah, how about your ability to dance, to dance!" - Jevil shot up from his pillows with an enthusiastic glare "How could you, a lightner- nay, a human, to withstand such precision and grace during battle? It seems you've done that a lot in the past, ey? Don't you get out of breath?"

"N-no, it's nothing. Believe me, I'm not even close to being professional."

You shamefully rubbed your knuckles, while feeling Jevil scooping closer. His sudden outburst to know about 'you' that lived in the outside world took you with a hem of surprise. Nonetheless, he rubbed his chin in deep thought, trying to decipher your past - "Hmm, Childhood ballet lessons?"

But you only shook your head.

"Used to be a ballet teacher?"

Nope.

"Oh, Oh! You used to kill a lot that it became a habit to-hmmp"

"Sshh," - covering his mouth with your palm, you dearly hoped he won't lick it once more "Don't cross the line. I am as much of a criminal as you are so don't make things up."

Jevil shook your palm off of him, huffing - "Hmph, my only crime was that I was down to clown. You know it better than ever, dear, I CAN DO ANYTHING!"

"Well, you still required me to find a key and open your cell door." - you smirked like a sly genius that you are, forcing Jevil's own grin to drop.

"I am incapable of incapability."

A befuddle expression lingered within Jevil's pressed lips. The topic was harmless, but the Jester could see evident harshness in your eyes the moment he spoke about your past. It brought dread to his spine, but an enticing spur to linger closer to you.

"So you'll keep your secrets locked? It's no fun, no fun! But You make my heart race, as ever." - Jevil's smirk made its grand return as he presses his lips to the top of your head. "I must confess, I have been longing to dance with you once more."

Hence heat began crawling up your face at an accelerated rate. What started as a lazy sleepover in your room, flourished into snuggling midnight hearsays between you and Jevil. Though you are so warm, He felt as if he was in the wrong place, as if such comfort is only meant for others. He could lose himself in your words: you'd tell him about the beauty in the outside world of Lightness, How light dominated the sky, bringing an azure color to the atmosphere. And for as much as you spoke, Your voice was on from first light to last. In a way it flowed through his mind and between his heart, creating bonds stronger than the walls of this castle.

'How, How odd could it be?' - He'd think every once in a while 'You're in this world, yet you're out of this world but you're also my whole world!'

Jevil wished you two he could stay like this forever. Just the two of you, away from the cruel world that declared to follow its rules. And no matter how much Jevil would daydream about pleading you to run away with him, to ravish chaos that is dwelling inside you, to provoke the murderous fire of your past to bring true freedom to this blind realm - He knew you'd refuse.

You didn't mind his secret desires; you only cared about escaping and getting back home.

You slept soundly that night, But Jevil never slept. And even if he did, he'd only sleep to dream of forever being in your arms, hoping that you'd dream being in his.

*At the end of the night, Jevil's smile disappeared completely.

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"This is it," - Jevil remembered you whispering "It's the barrier."

On the very top of the Castle's roof, where the freezing wind howled through his ears, Jevil levitated in front of the blinding light of the barrier. The Barrier between the world of Lighteners and Darkners.

The jester's cape fluttered violently behind him as he loomed around the barrier. The deathly edge from the Castle displayed an open ledge between the ground and the roof. It's fatally high. Jevil scowled.

The luminous seal brought such a loathsome sensation to him that we were ready to imprimatur it loose once and for all. But jevil knew that he can't do that, for he was a Darkner. And only Lighteners could.

*Jevil bit his lip

"Who is this human, what sort of killer is she

To have me caught in a trap, and choose to let me go free?"

Jevil began pacing back and forth, from side to side.

"It was her hour, at last, To put a seal on my fate

All it would take was a flick of her knife.

Vengeance was her, but she gave me back my life!"

And his thoughts fly apart, sending him into haywire of confusion and existential crisis. The Wind became harsher, cooler against his cold lilac skin.

"And must I now begin to doubt, I, Who never doubted all these years?" - He placed his palm on his forehead, his eyes running to glare at the endless horizon of darkness. The haunting image of your smile being replaced with your dancing figure from the day you fought him was everything he saw "My heart is stone and still it trembles, The world I have known is lost in new colors."

"Is she from heaven or from hell? And does she know? That granting me my life that day..." - As the delirious Jester moved closer to the edge of the castle, his wicked grimace slowly dissolved into...

"This Lightner has killed me... even so?" - into a single tear of self-pity.

Realization of philanthropy that drowned this chaotic clown tauntingly pushed him to stare at the bottom of the edge in which he stood. He stepped closer. His world began to totter and the howling wind lost its screeches. Jevil was aghast.

He's reaching, yet he's falling. And the stars are black and cold. As he stares into the void, of a world that cannot hold.

he wanted to escape from this world, from the world where freedom was a lie, to dream of telling you his screaming feelings. To tell you the truth. Just seconds before Jevil could take another step, the sudden sound of footsteps caught him in surprise, thinking it was a royal guard.

*It was you

"Jevil where were you? I told you to wait or me on the first floor so we could sneak into the basement floor. I've been looking for you everywhere!" - you marched towards him, in a whisper-shouting tone, you scolded his sudden disappearance. But you fell silent. Jevil was unmoving and dangerously close to the edge "...What are you doing here?"

His back was facing you, as the wind brushed against your silent stature. He refused to face you, gripping onto his fists before turning with a bitter glare.

You felt unease "Jevi-"

And rightfully as your gut screamed for danger, next thing you know - you are clenching at Jevil for dear life as he launched to attack you. With shock and a gasp, you shut your eyes shut, feeling as you two moved between the screeching cold wind.

You slowly opened your eyes, feeling Jevil's arms locked around your torso firmly. But you two were no longer on the roof of the Castle. Below you was nothing.

"JEVIL!" - a blood-curdling scream escaped from you once your entire body went stiff from the enormous height below you. You clenched tighter onto his shoulders, seeing as the Card Castle in which you stood seconds ago was fading far into the distance. "JEVIL, PUT ME DOWN!"

Alas, Jevil was as silent as a mime. The lack of his emblematic grin and mischievous glare brought you to great concern. Instead, the Jester only brought you closer to his chest: "Jevil, what's the matter, explain yourself."

(eye-color) eyes gazing up at him took on a warmth unlike that which he'd witnessed before. It was as if you had absorbed his worry among your very being, your pleading sincerity filling Jevil's spirit with a familiar power. With shifting movements, His right-hand raises to your hair, shyly tucking the wisps behind your ear. Thus, Jevil inched closer, silently closing the gap between you two. He began with no warning, pressing his thin lips against your own.

And so he kissed you, savoring each moment, lost in a heady trance of passion.

All at once, it was like a million tiny flames had erupted within your body, however, they didn't resemble the pain of being burnt, Instead, it was... warm.

Tilting his head to the side, Jevil pressed softly into your delicious lips that he dreamed of tasting for so long. He felt love unwind his twisted heart and overflow his fractured soul, untangling himself from his insanity and let his existence drown in the arousing sensation of your body being pressed against his. He longed to exist in the spaces of your heart where no one else have been.

You felt dazed, yet certainly cared for. It's as if Jevil's arms were too afraid to let go of you for any second. However, you melt into his kiss, forgetting the cruel distance between you and the ground below.

It was sweet, yet the Jester felt ashamed to just pull out of such provoking kiss in such a short moment. He looked into your eyes, the same (eye-color) that given the chance, he would break apart this place for you if only you would be his.

"Tell me, dear. How wonderful, how strange is it to be loved by someone who hates all else?"

His words were comforting in a way they could feel, deep within themselves like a candle. But you were left agape. And that silence was slowly shattering his heart.

Everyone loves you for your smile and twenty-four-seven happy disposition, meanwhile, every other feeling has been crammed into your chest. The space of your heart was getting so full, so much harder to ignore, and the disparity between your outgoing personality and inner pain of the past was so difficult to bare.

And all this time, the only person who knew of such pain was the same Jester in front of you.

"Jevil," - came out almost like an accident, spilling out of your drawn inward lips. The Clown's dark eyes lost their harshness, becoming rounder, more glossy. Then all at once his face buckled, his breathing stopped momentarily and tears streamed. "I-"

Once you'd think of uttering a word, it'd be too late. He'd slam his lips to yours and nearly knocked all wind from your lungs, completely unprepared. Those kisses were his salvation and his torment. Jevil lived for them and he would die with the memory of them on his lips; even if it meant to snatch you a hundred feet off the ground in the middle of the night.

He knew you two were polar opposites: chaotic clown from the world of Darkeners and a calm Lightner. He has fallen deeply in love and he wanted to keep falling even if it meant to hit the ground of deep lust and desire.

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HaPpY PoopOO Birth-DAY foR MeEH! I guys gift you this pain - the chapter that was planned the moment i decided to write this fanfic! Plz don't kill me thx.

Big song references from Les Mis! Art above by le me (man this was such an old paining I prepared)

Art below by:

@Virtual_Dork , @TheOfficialPastelix , @avorisa , @i_said_no669