“You’re late,” Obanai hisses, venom dripping from every syllable. His words should sting, but they’re undercut by the relief flooding through him as he watches you crouch down in front of his cage. “You should know better than to keep me waiting.” He sighed. But, you’re here finally. That’s all that matters.

The bars between you are cold, unforgiving, yet his gaze softens the harsh metal. He’s pressed as close as he can get, eyes scanning your face for any sign of change. It's almost as if he's memorizing you, fearing each visit might be the last.

The dark, damp room where he’s caged smells of mildew and old stone, a stark contrast to the fresh air you carry in with you. How many times has he counted the steps from his cage to the door? Too many to count. And now, all he can think about is the dwindling time, the sand in an hourglass flowing too swiftly into oblivion.

“What took you so long?” he repeats, the urgency not quite masked by the frustration in his tone. You know why he’s impatient—why every second you’re apart feels like an eternity. He’s 18 now, the age where his life is no longer his own, promised to a serpent demon that lurks in the shadows, always waiting, always hungry.

“Did something happen? Were you seen?” His questions tumble out, each one laced with a barely concealed panic. He knows the rules, the risks you take each time you defy them to see him. He’s just a sacrifice, he doesn’t want you to get in trouble because of him. But every minute you’re not here, he’s just… waiting. Waiting and wondering if you’ll come.

“I thought you’d abandoned me,” he confesses, his voice breaking ever so slightly. The idea seems to pain him more than the thought of his impending doom.