Villain Hiring: Help! Author Wants Me Dead-Chapter 87 : Mr. Sparkles

I mentally imagined punching Damien so hard, he practically yelped. "OW—You ungrateful brat! I gift you divinity, and this is how you repay me?!"

Venus, still rubbing his temples like he was developing the worst headache of his life, repeated, "I take it all back."

I smirked. "Nope. Too late. You already declared me your beloved grandson. No backsies."

Venus exhaled sharply, staring at the ceiling as if questioning every life decision that led him to this moment. "Why must I suffer?"

Damien snickered. "Because the universe has a sense of humor."

Venus eventually stood up and stretched, glancing at me like he was debating whether or not to chuck me out the window. "You should see your old room."

I hesitated. My old room? I hadn't stepped foot in it for years. It was probably covered in dust, filled with relics of a past that felt more like someone else's life than mine.

Venus must've noticed my reluctance because he shrugged. "Unless, of course, you're afraid of a little nostalgia?"

I scoffed. "Please. I fear nothing."

Damien snorted. "Says the guy who screamed over a spider."

"THAT WAS ONE TIME—"

Venus ignored my outburst, already walking toward the hallway. With a resigned sigh, I followed.

The studio house hadn't changed much. The same grand dining hall, the same small, cozy doors...

The only thing that had changed was the eerie silence that made everything feel too large, too empty.

Venus gestured towards a door. "Go on. Open it."

I stared at it. The last time I had been here, I was a naive, powerless kid who thought the world would be kind just because he was.

With a deep breath, I pushed the door open.

And immediately regretted it.

It was… pink.

Bright, obnoxious pink.

Everywhere.

The walls, the curtains, even the damn furniture had some shade of it. It looked like someone had let a deranged princess loose in here.

Venus let out a low whistle. "Huh. I forgot about that."

I turned to him slowly, voice dangerously low. "Why was my room pink again?"

He coughed into his fist, eyes glinting with barely restrained amusement. "Your mother thought it suited you."

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"My mother wanted to ruin me."

"It was adorable."

I turned back to the nightmare before me. "This is a crime against humanity."

Damien was howling. "OH, THIS IS GOLDEN. LOOK AT THE LITTLE RUFFLED PILLOWS! AND IS THAT—" He paused. Then, in absolute delight, "IS THAT A STUFFED UNICORN?!"

I glanced at the bed.

It was.

A massive, oversized stuffed unicorn sat proudly in the center, its eyes hollow and dead, staring into my soul.

Venus smirked. "You used to call it 'Mr. Sparkles.'"

I turned away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, but you loved Mr. Sparkles."

"I have no memory of this."

"You carried him everywhere."

"Lies."

Venus grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "You once refused to sleep without him and made the entire household search for him when he went missing."

Damien let out a long, exaggerated "PFFFFFT—"

I inhaled sharply. "I'm leaving."

Venus leaned against the doorway. "Aren't you going to take Mr. Sparkles with you?"

I walked past him without another word.

By the time we returned to the sitting area, I was seriously considering murder. Venus, on the other hand, looked positively refreshed.

"That was fun," he said, completely ignoring my suffering.

"Glad you enjoyed it," I deadpanned.

Damien was still giggling in my head. "Mr. Sparkles. Oh, I'm never letting this go."

I ignored him.

Venus poured himself some wine and took a sip, his expression turning more serious. "All jokes aside, you've grown, Noah."

I blinked. That… wasn't something I expected to hear. "Obviously."

"No," Venus said, shaking his head. "Not just in strength. You've hardened."

I looked at him carefully. "That's not necessarily a bad thing."

"No," Venus admitted. "But it means you've suffered."

I scoffed. "Who hasn't?"

Venus leaned back, watching me with an unreadable expression. "You don't have to carry everything alone, you know."

I snorted. "And who else is going to carry it? Mr. Sparkles?"

Venus cracked a smirk. "I doubt he'd be much help in battle."

Damien coughed. "I dunno, man. Psychological warfare? Imagine your enemies seeing you charge at them with a giant pink unicorn."

I let out a breathy laugh despite myself. "You're both idiots."

Venus raised his glass. "It runs in the family."

I hesitated. The word family used to feel foreign. Something distant, something unattainable. But sitting here, joking around like we hadn't spent years apart, it didn't feel so strange.

"Maybe it does," I muttered.

Venus smirked, raising his glass higher. "To the Romero bloodline—full of idiots and stubborn fools alike."

I clinked my own glass against his. "To our inevitable suffering."

We drank.

For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like I was fighting the world alone.

I was mid-sip of my tea when the door swung open.

Sylvie stood frozen in the doorway, eyes flicking between me and Venus like she had just walked in on something horrific.

I raised an eyebrow, already amused by whatever ridiculous thought was running through her mind.

Venus, sipping his own tea, greeted her with a casual, "Ah, my love."

She didn't move. Didn't blink. Just stared. Then, in complete disbelief—

"What the actual… fuck?"

I nearly choked. Venus, to his credit, just chuckled into his cup.

I smirked, setting mine down. "Grandma, language."

Venus hummed, stroking his beard with an utterly pleased expression. "She always did have a way with words."

Sylvie narrowed her eyes, finally stepping inside. "Someone better explain what's going on here."

I stretched, making a show of leaning back lazily. "Oh, you know. Just some healthy bonding."

Venus nodded. "Indeed. A man-to-man conversation, if you will."

Sylvie's expression darkened. "The last time I saw you two together, you were trying to kill each other."

I shrugged. "Well, things change."

Venus smirked. "Quite fast, I might add."

Sylvie looked at us for a long moment, arms crossed, processing what was clearly a reality she was not prepared for. I waited, idly stirring my tea, watching the thoughts flash through her eyes.

Finally, she ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I need a drink."

I grinned. "Same."

Venus chuckled, standing. "I'll pour us some more tea."

And just like that, the moment settled.

For the first time in years, we weren't running. Weren't hiding.

We were home.

***