Loyal Old Demon, Brave Little Human.

Return to L.A.

"You're right, I don't have it in me...let's go." Ryan said, scooping his stuff and eliciting a laugh from Shane. "Fuck you...Fuck...I hope you are looking at this now, motherfucker." Ryan said, holding up his middle finger to thin air.
"Did you just call the demon a motherfucker?"
"Well I don't give a shit now. I'm gone." And with that the pair scooped up their things, and left the house. They drove back in silence, and Shane was very grateful for that, since his mind was still eating itself alive over the events from earlier. He tried to ignore it, but there was very little else to think about as they made their 45 minute trip to the hotel where the rest of the crew was staying. They called Mark and TJ on the way, letting them know they had left early, and met them in the lobby. Ryan was given a hotel key, and Mark walked with him to their room. TJ had claimed that Shane was staying with him for the rest of the night, but Shane knew what was really happening. The two walked up a creaky flight of stairs to their room, and Shane let his true form out the minute the door was closed, ignoring the audible breath that TJ sucked in as he looked at Shane like that. Shane simply set his things haphazardly on the table, and walked straight to the beds. Shane saw one with the covers still neat and tidy, and climbed into that one. He felt TJ's watchful eyes, but pretended to sleep instead. Shane really wasn't feeling all that tired, unsurprisingly since he had been refueling almost the entire time at the Sallie house. Especially with the fight. Shane grimaced as the thought back to it. It was always like that. Ricky and him had fallen for each other years ago, when Shane was desperate to get out of Hell, and Ricky offered him the chance. However, things had deteriorated quickly, with Ricky constantly saying that Shane had been terrible to him in assorted ways. Once, Shane remembered, Ricky had been on assignment, as he would often be, but had expected Shane to handle half of it. Shane hadn't, as Ricky had never asked him to, and Shane had been berated for it. Shane hadn't known, so afterwards he would always do half of Ricky's job. Then that became wrong. Ricky made it sound as though Shane acted like he didn't trust Ricky enough to be left alone. Of course Shane did! So Shane stopped helping again. Thing like that piled up after a while, and when Shane had left with a girl, Ruth as she was called, Shane had let Ricky know beforehand he was done. Ricky had taken the news poorly, as Shane had predicted, but what hurt the most was what he had told Shane. "You may have found a passing fancy, like you did with me, but she will throw you to the side the minute she finds out who and what you are. No one could care about you like me." Ricky had said, and Shane still remembered every word. Mainly because they had rang true. When Shane told Ruth, she had thrown things at him, and pleaded with him to leave her be. The books and crumpled papers didn't hurt Shane, but the truth of what she and Ricky had said pierced through Shane. He hadn't really been planning on making friends here, since most of his past experiences had pushed the thought away, but TJ and Mark and Steven and Andrew and Helen and Sarah...and especially Ryan, were making Shane want to change. He hoped that Ryan would react the same way TJ had, but he kept remembering how Ricky had been right before. When all else was wrong, Ricky always seemed to be correct. He always made himself to be this kind person Shane could trust. Shane heard TJ lie down, but not in his bed. TJ lied down beside Shane, careful not to lay down on a wing, and relaxed with his back to him. A silent comfort that made Shane's hearts swell and his gold eyes fill with tears. Maybe things could be okay...

•••••••

Shane did fall asleep, and when their alarm went off the next morning to get ready for the plane ride, Shane thought it had come all too soon. Shane groaned and stood up, noticing that in his sleep, a wing had wrapped around TJ protectively. Shane fought the headache in his head, and he wondered if it was a poison hangover, or a sign that he had actually caught a cold or something. Shane shrugged it off and stood up, moving his wing gently. TJ woke up a moment or two later, and the two got dressed. Before they left, TJ grabbed his arm. "Whatever happened yesterday, and you don't have to talk about it. Since, to be honest, you look like shit, but you are more than welcome to tell me whatever you need."
Shane smiled at him, and patted him on the shoulder. "Just had to deal with a demon at the Sallie house."
TJ didn't look like he believed him, but didn't push it. Instead, he grabbed his suitcase, and off they went, Shane now looking human. A tired and probably hungover-looking human, but human nonetheless. They met the rest of the crew downstairs, and went to the airport. They got their almost an hour early, and both Shane and Ryan couldn't help falling asleep again. Ryan slid down on the floor, while Shane slept in his seat. The two slept on the plane too, both too exhausted to talk to each other. When they got back home, Shane took his stuff and went to his apartment. He walked in, and remember the promise he had made to himself. He groaned, and began to look for furniture online. He noticed a couple of calls had come in from his parents, or "parents" really. He called them back, and chatted with them for a while. They were genuinely good people. Shane was beginning to like being their son instead of his actually father. He cringed as the memory of Brent surfaced. He decided to brush it off, and move on with his day, mainly because he didn't want to deal with the knowledge of his father's return, nor think about his anger at the notion that Shane wasn't home, doing his job for him.

•••••••

Over the next couple of days, Shane finally finished moving into his apartment, and was fairly happy with the result he had given himself. He had helped Ryan finish up the episode's filming, and the two had edited it together. The episode had only been up for two days, but already it was topping every Buzzfeed chart. Shane was sitting at his couch when it happened. He was watching TV, a new experience for him, and his wings and horns were draping lazily on the sofa around him. He felt his phone buzz on the cushion. He looked down at it, and it was a series of text from Ryan, popping up even as Shane read the first ones.

Ryan~ Did you see how much attention the video has gotten?
Ryan~ Lucy wants us to do another one.
Ryan~ I think I have some places in mind, but you and I both have to e on board for it to work.
Ryan~ I know you think this is all bullshit, but...
Ryan~ Allow me to prove you wrong?

Shane smiled, after all, how could he refuse Ryan Steven Bergara. He typed in his answer.