The Throne I Left

“So what are you doing in Heaven again?” Frey asked. “You’re going there a lot for someone who, you know, could be killed.”

Johan kicked a root out of the way, looking at Frey from the corner of his eye. For some reason he had stepped away from Note after only an hour of hiking through the woods, to instead walk beside Johan.

Unsurprisingly, convincing Frey to help them had been very easy. The problem was that he asked a lot of questions.

“There’s something I need.” Johan answered shortly as they trudged through the forest.

Apparently the rope bridge they had used the last time was gone now, so instead Frey was leading them to another entrance. The main entrance.

“Ah.” Frey nodded. “Something. Right.”

Johan glared at him.

“How do you manage to glare at people without letting them see your eyes?” Johan ignored him. “No really. It must be your face. It’s very expressive for someone so dead to emotion.”

Johan tok a deep breath. Was it too late to get someone else?

“See?! I can totally tell you’re tired of me, and you’re not even looking at me!”

As far as Johan knew there was at least one more sin outside of Heaven. He could have picked that one instead. At this point being murdered sounded like a better time.

Frey fell silent.

“Where in Heaven?”

“Lust’s club.” Johan answered truthfully, finding no reason to lie. Frey gaped at him.

“I wanna come.” Frey got closer, eyes brimming with excitement.

“No.” Johan pushed him away.

“You never invite me to anything fun!” Frey whined.

Johan ignored him. If he wanted to go there so bad he could do it once they were out.

“Ok, so.” Frey got serious. “You can’t go in looking like that. You’ll be shot down before you even enter. Oh, but don’t worry. I have the perfect solution!”

Oh no. Johan rubbed his eyes.

“Disguises!”

Johan sighed and for a second he wanted to refuse. But really..

“Disguises?” Signe’s voice asked and Johan looked back to see her skipping closer. She was in her normal white dress, her green hair falling to her waist and was partly braided back around her face.

She looked exactly the same as she did four years ago. Not to mention Note, who refused to part with his almost transparent coat. Frey did have a point. They would be recognized in an instant.

“He thinks we’re too recognizable.” Johan said dully. “He has a point.”

“And he’s going to pick them?” Signe frowned. Johan watched in amusement as Frey paused in indignation.

“I’ll have you know-”

“Ok, I’ll leave it to you.” Signe nodded, seemingly pleased with her decision. Frey stopped mid sentence, finger still in the air. For a second he seemed lost, then he caught up.

Frey’s face broke out in a huge, shocked smile.

How bad could it really go?

-

Turns out it could go very bad.

The official gate to Heaven was surrounded by a small city. It had been built by faithful humans hundreds of years ago and was now the home to a bunch of flattering creeps. The only important thing though was that they also had a big population of sellers, because of the small possibility of getting to sell wares in Heaven.

Frey had gone into this small city alone to get them some new clothes, they had decided it would be a bad idea to tempt fate by entering in daylight when anyone could see them.

Which was how they had ended up here.

It was just before nightfall and Johan stared as Note appeared from behind a tree.

“Why isn’t he wearing a shirt?” Johan asked, unable to look away. Note was wearing what Johan could only describe as a black shirt...without the shirt part.

“He is wearing a shirt.” Frey insisted, sauntering forward to pointedly pull on the edge of the fabric right where it rested on Note’s chest. Johan pinched his lips together, heat rising to his cheeks.

“It’s nice.” Note commented lightly, touching the black fabric where it hugged his shoulders and neck. His hand fell to his bare stomach before he continued. “But not very warm.”

Johan’s eyebrows drew together. Yes. It sure looked very cold.

It could have been a regular thin turtleneck, but it wasn’t. For some reason the entire part below his armpits had been left bare and only his arms and shoulders were covered.

“It’s to pull the eyes away from his face.” Frey explained with a grin. “Look, it’s already working, you haven’t looked at his face at all since he changed!”

Johan finally managed to rip his eyes away from Note. With a burning face, he sent his deadliest glare at Frey. The blond’s smile faltered a little, but without hesitation he scooped up the last bag left on the ground and shoved it into Johan’s arms. “Your turn now.”

A wave of anger passed through him and he saw red.

“I am not wearing that shit-” Johan hissed, bending over to get closer to Frey’s face but the shorter man just leaned back.

“Don’t worry, Johan.” Frey interrupted and patted his arm placatingly. “Luckily you’re already almost completely unrecognizable from back then. And since I know you’ve gotten anger issues, I got you the safe option.”

Johan paused and leaned back. He didn’t have anger issues. Frey was just aggravating.

He huffed, looking down at the bundle in his arms. It was more black fabric, but definitely more of it than what Note was wearing.

“Where’s Signe?” He asked instead, choosing to delay the inevitable. On que Frey pointed, and Johan turned to see her step into view.

Almost immediately he turned back.

He closed his eyes, sighing deeply.

“Seriously?”

“Shh, let me have my fun. This is the only time I can do this.” Frey gave his arm a last pat and sped past him.

Johan had to agree, there was absolutely no part of him that could ever imagine Signe letting Frey dress her up again.

He almost didn’t recognize her as she came out, her face was caked in makeup and her hair was up in a high ponytail that Frey was now fuzzing over.

She was wearing one of the tightest dresses Johan had ever seen. It only had one sleeve, leaving one shoulder bare and the skirt only reached her mid-thigh on one side, a slit up to her hip on the other. And of course it was black, that seemed to be the theme for the night.

As someone that only ever wore white, it was weird to see her in black.

Signe tok a couple trying steps forward in the new shoes, the heels couldn’t be wider than Johan’s pinky, and a gold accessory around her ankle jingled with the movement.

“I got one with a slit so you can still use your axe if necessary.” Frey grinned. “Though I haven’t seen it, did you lose it?”

“Wrath.” Johan answered quickly.

“Ah.” Frey’s smile turned fearful as Signe closed her eyes. “I regret asking.”

“It’s fine.” She sneered. “I’m getting it back.”

“You look stunning.” Note commented.

For a second Signe looked at him, then- “You look cold.”

“I am cold.” Note acknowledged miserly. Johan raised an eyebrow.

“Shut up, you baby.” Frey huffed. “It’s warmer in Heaven. Johan go change already, it’s almost time to go.”

Before he could say anything, Frey shoved him behind the big tree Note had changed behind.

Johan sighed. There was no way out of this, was there?

Begrudgingly he changed. Luckily it seemed like Frey really did choose the safe option. Instead of anything revealing like Note and Signe, Johan got a black hoodie and some black pants with a lot of pockets. The shoes were pretty much the same as his normal ones, thick and heavy, the biggest change was the color.

Overall Johan had to admit Frey had done a good job. It was simple, yet he didn’t look like himself at all. Though he didn’t tell him that.

“See, what did I tell you?” Frey asked smugly once Johan made his way back.

“Are you happy now?” Johan asked back instead of answering.

“Yes I am.” Frey nodded, a pleased smile on his face.

“You look good.” Note commented approvingly as he checked out the outfit.

“Thanks.”

“Oh, here she is!” Frey suddenly yelled. “Runa!”

Johan turned to see a small woman making her way towards them.

“Frey!” She squealed and started running. Johan could only watch in silence as the two of them met in a big, enthusiastic hug.

So the person they were waiting for was finally here. Johan crossed his arms, watching the cowtail swaying happily behind her. Frey had said he knew someone to help them in, but he hadn’t said it was a huldra.

His head snapped to Frey, a sneer making its way to his face. He wanted them to bring a monster into Heaven? Not even that- he wanted a monster to bring them into Heaven?

Johan stormed forward.

“This is your plan?” Johan hissed, roughly pulling Frey by his hoodie, ignoring his yelp. “A monster? In heaven? Are you stupid?”

Frey’s face morphed from confusion to realization.

“Oh! Don’t worry, huldras are allowed.” Frey explained patiently. Johan furrowed his brows. Yeah, right.

“Since when?” Johan said deadpanned. Did Frey hit his head when he got kicked out of Heaven? “Every type of monster was banned in Heaven.”

“Not anymore.”

Johan stopped. “What?”

“There’s no way those idiots changed that much in just a few years.” He tried to reason.

“Oh, they still don’t allow other monsters. Only huldras.” Frey explained. Johan cocked his head. They made an exception?

“We can go in if we want as long as we stick to the club.” The huldra, Runa, broke in. She smiled kindly up at him as she explained. “They want us there because we’re attractive.”

Johan’s brain went full stop.

For a second everything was silent.

They were allowed in Heaven? Because they were attractive?

For a long moment he stared at her, eyes wide. Then the realization hit him like a falling tree and he jerked back, letting go of Frey like he was burned.

“Oh!” Johan grimaced, looking back at the huldra, but as he did something else fell into place.

Wait a second.

Long hair, slutty dress- That makeup! A huldra!

“You dressed my sister up like a hooker?!” Note raged. He had apparently realized it at the same time. Within a second he had thrown his discarded robe at Signe, ignoring her indignant yelp and effectively hiding her from sight as he turned burning eyes at Frey, leaving Signe to fight the fabric on her own.

Note stomped past Johan and snatched Frey up by the collar of his hoodie. The sin quickly raised his arms in front of him, toes barely touching the ground.

“Hey!” Signe yelled as her head reappeared from beneath the robe.

“Keep that on!” Note snapped back at her.

“Your sister?” Frey squeaked, going pale in the hold.

Oh right. Frey hadn’t been there for that ordeal.

“You don’t think I look good?” Signe frowned, holding the robe away from her body to check out the dress herself. “I look great, though?”

“You look beautiful!” Note snapped back at her. “But you look like her!”

Johan followed Note’s accusatory look right to where the huldra was standing looking completely unfazed as her friend was being threatened by a big, looming guy- Actually it was Frey, she probably saw that a lot.

“That’s your plan? To make it look like we’re accompanying two huldra?” Johan asked disbelievingly.

Frey tok the opportunity to escape.

“Well, yes- But!” He quickly backed up as Note tok a threatening step to follow him. “The guards see people crossing the bridge with huldra all the time!”

Johan crossed his arms. Unsurprisingly Note did not think that was a good reason but before he managed to grab Frey again, the huldra stepped in, making the perfect shield from the scary man’s wrath.

“I am not a prostitute.” Runa interrupted, eyebrows high. She gestured over her shoulder to where Frey was cowering against her back. “-Is what I think he’s trying to say. And I’m not- if that wasn’t clear.”

Note paused.

“Yeah!” Frey said. “I just dressed her like someone going clubbing. It’s not anything bad! Someone with Signe’s face would be recognized instantly. This is like camouflage in Lust’s club, the same as Note’s shirt, it pulls attention away from the face. Slutty is the way to go!”

Slutty is the way to go? Johan mouthed the sentence incredulously. Did he hear that right?

Runa whooped, one hand in the air. The two of them laughed and Johan shook his head in amusement.

Really, it was a good idea.

“I don’t agree. Slutty is not the way to go.” Note said irritatedly. “Keep that on!”

“Who cares?” Signe groaned, stomping over and pushing the robe back into Note’s arms. “I look great, and time is passing so can you please stop fighting about it?”

Note gave her a silent look and within a second she added. “Shut up, Note, you look more like a prostitute than I do.”

Johan snorted. She was right, and it seemed like Note also realized that and grabbed the robe with a silent glare.

“It could work.” Johan acknowledged, Notes head snapped to him.

Johan met his eyes and shrugged. Note’s glare might work on other people but Johan had seen him play with the fish when he thought nobody was looking. They stared at each other for a long moment.

“Fine.” Note sighed and backed off. He crossed his arms and Johan could almost see a little pout on his lips.

Frey watched their exchange cautiously and his eyes widened when Johan turned to him with a smile.

“Ok?” He asked, trying to confirm, hands still defensively held up and his eyes flickered back and forth between the three of them. Johan nodded. “Ok.”

“Well.” Frey let out a relieved laugh and elbowed Runa with a pleased shrug. “It’s getting late, so we should get going. There are crowds of people entering Heaven every night so you should blend right in with them. Runa will lead you there.”