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"Rise. There's no longer a need for formalities."
Rex Lapis wouldn't look at him. Xiao had never known his God to be indecisive, and the expression on His face was unfamiliar. Regret, though rarely shown, was something Xiao had seen before. This was more. This was worse. This was alien. The yaksha wished He would speak. Tell him what he'd done, or what correction was necessary.
Instead, He looked as if He had already accepted judgement.
Xiao didn't understand. It made his insides twist in knots and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. This wasn't normal or even unusual for Him. Just plain wrong.
Was He dying?
Xiao did not prompt Him. Xiao knew his place.
"Xiao," Rex Lapis said, finally looking at him, "What is the difference between a God and a man?"
The yaksha hesitated. He needed to answer. His God's eyes were on him, faintly red at the corners, dark circles beneath like Xiao hadn't seen in centuries. Rex Lapis shouldn't be kept waiting.
"Divinity, my lord."
Rex Lapis regarded him, nodded, then looked away again.
"Divinity," He repeated, "So that is your answer."
Xiao did not speak.
"Divinity, which I no longer possess."
Xiao did not have permission.
"Tell me, Xiao, does a man have any right to command the servant of a God?"
Xiao froze. Morax had never asked questions meant to trap. Rex Lapis was merciful. Xiao did not know what he had done to displease Him. What he had done to insult his master. Yet just now, he'd denied his own lord's authority with three small words. Put himself above Him.
His vision blurred in and out of focus.
"Xiao."
"My lord...?"
"What right do I have to command you?"
He couldn't breathe. His heart raced, everything tilting and swaying. He stumbled, kneeling before Rex Lapis.
"Every right, my lord, please forgive-"
"What right does a man have to command you, Xiao?!"
Morax's harsh voice broke on the name He'd gifted the yaksha. Xiao flinched. He couldn't look up.
"Xiao," His voice was ragged, desperate for something Xiao didn't understand. He knelt before Xiao, but didn't touch him, "What right did I ever have to do this to you?"
"..." Xiao wished he knew what he was supposed to do. What answer he was supposed to give to make this all stop. What he'd done to put his beloved God in such a state, "My lord, I... I don't understand. Forgive me."
"You never did," Rex Lapis, cupped the yaksha's cheeks tenderly. Xiao looked up into tear filled eyes, "You never understood that nobody has a right to use you like an object. Not even me."
Xiao had no words. Rex Lapis spoke as if He'd done something... Wrong. Morax did not play these games. Rex Lapis did not trick servants into blasphemy. So why now? Why at all?
"My lord, whether You are divine or mortal, God or man, I have devoted myself to You," Xiao said, "I signed Your contract. I agreed to be Your servant. You have every to command me and do with me as You see fit."
Rex Lapis's eye twitched. Xiao's breath caught in his throat.
Wrong answer.
"Damn the contract," Rex Lapis's fingers tightened in Xiao's hair, "And damn all who abused you."
The world spun. Xiao gritted his teeth, swallowed whimpers of fear, and forced himself to keep looking at Him.
Rex Lapis' jaw tensed. His eyes narrowed. He threw Xiao to the floor. The yaksha stifled a yelp as the back of his skull hit hardwood.
The former Archon was on him before he could offer penance. He pinned Xiao's wrists with one hand, and forced him to look at Him with the other.
"Stop me, Xiao," Morax commanded, letting go of Xiao's face and trailing his fingers down the yaksha's neck, "Stop this."
"My lord, please- I'll never defy You, not again, I swear," Xiao couldn't stop the tears. He wished he knew what he did, he wished he could just be good. It was never like this, not with Morax. What had he done? Why did he deserve this?
Morax ignored his pleas, hand going lower, stroking over his chest which rose and fell with rapid, shallow breaths. The former Archon's hand stilled on Xiao's hip. Their eyes met.
"Stop me."
Xiao wouldn't. He would never. Morax didn't need to make this point, Xiao had never given any indication that he would, so why...?
Tears slipped down the sides of Xiao's head. He remained still.
Morax's hand went lower, now resting on Xiao's inner thigh.
Xiao would be good. He knew better. He'd so willingly given his body to Morax before. Morax had never taken him as punishment. Xiao could only hope he would understand the reason for this painful correction soon.
"Xiao, do you understand what I am going to do, if you don't tell me to stop?"
"I understand, my lord," Xiao fought to keep his voice from shaking as the world shifted in and out of focus, the only clear thing being his master's face, "I will not stop You. This correction was deemed necessary by Your judgement."
The anger shattered. Xiao hadn't felt this sheer terror in a very long time. As he looked up at his master's face, he recognized a look he'd seen in the condemned prior to execution.
"Make me stop," Zhongli brought his hand between Xiao's trembling thighs, "Please, tell me you don't want this, Xiao. It will end."
Xiao swallowed.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
The words died in his lungs.
"Xiao..."
Xiao exhaled slowly. He waited. Zhongli hesitated.
Morax did not. Xiao held his God's gaze through a sea of tears as He stroked Xiao's nether region through his clothes. Xiao did not fight, and allowed himself to go limp. He was used to this, his previous master had enjoyed this particular method of making sure a lesson stuck.
"Xiao... Xiao..."
Wet droplets fell on Xiao's neck. The yaksha selfishly wished He would stop the test. He didn't like seeing Rex Lapis like this.
"Xiao."
The yaksha blinked away tears. He held his God's gaze. In His harsh voice, the God of Contracts commanded him one last time.
"Tell me to take my hands off you. That's an order, ■."
"Take your hands off me!" Xiao screamed, tasting iron and salt. As soon as the last word left his lips, Morax let go. A thread snapped.
Xiao lay on the floor, staring up at a ceiling that kept blurring in and out.
Clothed. Alone. No longer being touched. No longer being corrected or punished.
Just laying there, after he had been used by so many Gods.
"..."
Zhongli... What was he, with his divinity stripped away?