Loyal Old Demon, Brave Little Human.

We get an Excorcism.

Shane bounced his leg nervously. This was a terrible idea. He was gonna go back to hell, in front of Ryan, who is possessed by Ricky, then be unable to save him, or even explain as his father was released back into the world. This was a terrible idea. Either way, Ryan had prepared a priest willing to do it, and they were in the car and on their way. Shane noticed Ryan was acting nervously too, and he would've killed to know what Ryan/Ricky was thinking. He knew he couldn't. If he did, Ricky would sense him and it would be all for not. So instead he sat, bouncing a leg and letting his mind eat itself as they travelled to Shane's single dumbest idea. This had to be top of the list, and that list included: trying to impersonate a roman imperial officer (not fun), suggesting to some weird french dude named Maximilien Robespierre that the royals were dumb (it accidentally started a small event called the French Revolution), and playing with a bulkhead screw on the Titanic. (he may have forgotten to put it back). He was shaken from his thoughts as the car pulled into a driveway and slowed to a stop. They got out, and Ryan hurried away to fuss about "needing some air". Shane followed.
"There is no way in hell that Shane is a demon." Ryan whisper-yelled at the air. He then doubled over as if punched in the stomach, and Shane growled. Fuck.
"Who's there?" Ryan asked through gritted teeth as he struggled to stand upright. Shane bolted to the car, and was already assisting Mark with bags when Ryan rounded the corner. He pretended to see Ryan suddenly, and set down his bag.
"Ry? Are you okay?"
Ryan nodded, panic filling his eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine."
Shane debated pushing the subject, but didn't. So instead, he grabbed a couple bags, and went inside. A girl with electric blue hair smiled at them from inside as Shane walked in. Shane smiled back, and set his bags down. She held out her hand, and Shane shook it.
"I'm Becky."
"Nice to meet you. Shane." He let go and grabbed his bags again, she grabbed the other to help.
"So, you are the Youtuber coming to film the exorcism?"
"Film one and get one." Shane said uncomfortably.
"I am here for one too."
"Oh, you must be the one that Father Carlos wanted to show with."
Becky smiled. "That I am. I come here pretty often, since I am always getting riddled with ghosts and demons that attach themselves to me."
"Right." Shane said. There wasn't a soul attached to that body except her own. She smiled again, and led Shane to the room he assumed they were doing it in. It had incense burning left and right, and Shane visibly fought away a cough.
"It's always like this before one of the events." She said it like it was some fun get together. "It's to help relax the soul for the Father to enter through."
That sounded more innocuous than I think she meant. "Really?"
"Yeah. Here, you can set the stuff there." She set down the bags and then went to get the father. Shane went to help the others.

••••

Shane tried to keep a calm head, and put on his camera persona. "We're here to see an exorcism."
Ryan laughed, but it was more nervous than he thought Ryan realized. He watched his short co-host cautiously, as though he were a bomb about to explode. This seemed to skip Ryan's attention, and Shane was thankful. The filming progressed slowly, Father Carlos ranting about how much God loved them and how dangerous ghost hunting was. He wanted to yell at Carlos. God doesn't love me. He isn't supposed to. And I'll have you know that I have everything handled. They are safe you asshole, sitting on your pedestal like you know all-
"Shane?"
"Huh?"
"Becky is about to go." Ryan watched him, searching his eyes. The two locked eyes, and Shane dove straight into the warm honey that was held in Ryan's eyes. Ryan seemed to do the same. Then Shane was roughly dragged back to the surface as Ryan tore his eyes away, cheeks flushed. Shane turned to watch too, and he couldn't help the churning in his stomach. Ricky or no Ricky, Shane was falling for that man. And hard.
"Get out! Get out demon!" Father Carlos yelled commandingly. Shane fought his own legs, which wanted to turn around and march Shane's ass back out the door and to hell. Becky, on the other hand, seemed unreactive. Not that Shane was surprised or anything, since she had nothing there to leave. Hell, there wasn't anything supernatural in here until Shane himself walked into the room. Shane wanted to go before Ryan, just to prove to his... whatever, that Shane was human, even if he wasn't. The father put his hand on Shane's forehead, as he had done with Becky, and began. Shane kept direct eye contact with Father Carlos, but his mind was in a frenzy, focusing intently on the trick Shane had been taught. In Shane's hand, he held his anchor object. It was an old trick. Demons can't be exorcised from earth if they have an anchor from the human world that they want to stay for. Shane held in his hand, a picture of the whole group at season 2's celebratory party. Ryan was wasted in the picture, TJ was climbing onto Shane's back, Mark was passed out in a chair with all kinds of sharpie drawings on his face and neck, Andrew and Steven were on either side of Ryan, and Sara was standing with Helen, waving madly at the camera. He had really enjoyed that party. In his mind, he focused on Ryan. His eyes rolled back briefly. He focused on his Ryan: His hair, his muscled figure, his size, his eyes, his excitement at BFU, him when Shane had watched him sleep, Ryan standing and looking out over a bridge, his lips, his love of spicy food. Shane couldn't just pick one thing about Ryan that he loved. It was all of it. Even his annoyance at Shane's Hot Daga, which was critically acclaimed. Then, the father ended Shane's session, and Shane shook himself out of his crush-like panic. He was so screwed. Ryan was next, and Shane watched cautiously. As Father Carlos began, Shane felt a presence in his mind. He internally growled.
"Just gotta keep my focus on something else, Shanney. By the way, you sure know how to pick 'em, don't you?"
"Get out."
"Hm," Ricky paused. "No. As a matter of fact, I think I might introduce your new boyfriend to your father."
"Don't."
"Oh? Why not? He's so nervous, even now. Your dear old dad would love to meet hi-"
"I. Said. No."
Ricky grew silent suddenly, and Shane felt the presence retreat just as quickly as it had come. The father ended, and Ryan stepped away. He didn't look any different, or feel any different. Shane looked at his eyes, and cursed under his breath. They were cold, and dark. The whites of his eyes were more of a dull gray, and Ricky, because there was no way the person in Ryan's body was Ryan, smiled at him.