Interlude 1: Opera's Thoughts

Demons, humans. Were they really that different?

I sat, legs crossed and mind wandering to the days of yesteryear. There was a good book in one hand and a small cup of tea in the other. Was there any better way to pass the time?

"Hey! Hey! What do you think?!" An excited voice called out. I tore my eyes away from the book and found a familiar face staring at me. That smooth, bald head. That fluffy, gray mustache.

"Lord Sullivan?" What ludicrous thing had he come up with this time?

"Look! Look! It has a button you can press that sounds an alarm!"

I stared, face stiff as stone. Those were… whistles? They looked like something mothers might give to their children if they feared that they might get kidnapped.

"Do you think they'll like them?"

I sighed.

"I'm sure they'll love the gift," I said with a nod. "Iruma would happily take it, though Lee… he'd be hesitant."

"Cute Iruma's like an adorable bunny!" Sullivan admired with an enthusiastic nod. "And Lee- he's so independent and cool! I must be the luckiest grandfather to have caught them both!"

I hesitated. Was it really my right to question his choices? On one hand, there was the human boy. Why risk so much just to adopt one?

As for Lee, he was an unknown. A demon from the human world. How had he managed to survive so long? Exactly what was his heritage? Was he part of the "great banishing" you'd scarcely heard anything about? He was as much of a mystery as Iruma.

"You could have adopted any demon in our world," I said, eventually giving in to my curiosity. Maybe I'd have been able to hold it in if it was just one, but this was too much. "Why choose them?"

The goofy grin on his face vanished. The loving, affectioned "grandfather" died then and there. In his place was a cold, calculating demon. It was a rare sight and one neither of those boys had truly witnessed.

And it vanished in a second. A sincerer, tired look crossed his features. It was as real as every other side of himself he liked to show.

"Those two are special," he spoke. "I left and find young Iruma, but Lee… he was a welcomed surprise."

Oh? So he hadn't expected him? Interesting.

"But let's forget about that~" he suddenly cheered. "You have to help pick what kind of underwear they might like more!"

I shut my eyes and sucked in a breath. He hadn't been this lively in years. I guess it didn't matter whether or not he'd done the right thing.

As long as he was happy, then that was fine with me.

"Have you thought about asking them their opinion?" I said.

"Of course not!" Sullivan huffed. "That kind of beats the purpose of a surprise, you know!"

…

Well, I couldn't fault that logic.

"I think the checkered ones might suit Lee more," I pointed out. "As for Iruma… he might like the ones with the cute bunnies."

No- wait… there was potential here.

"Actually, flip those around."

My lip twitched upward.

"Lee might have a secret soft spot for cute things."

Sullivan's eyes sparked with understanding.

"That makes perfect sense! I'll have to get him a giant plushy too!"

Yes. If nothing else, then the future promised to be an amusing one.