𝔥𝔬𝔪𝔢 | 𝔟𝔢𝔢𝔱𝔩𝔢𝔧𝔲𝔦𝔠𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔲𝔰𝔦𝔠𝔞𝔩

𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐠𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞

"Then you're stupid. Did you really think I wouldn't come back to kidnap you?" Betelgeuse joked. Actually, maybe he wasn't joking. But he was smiling.
"That's the problem, Beej," I sighed, nuzzling my face into his shoulder. "You can't stay, and I can't come back with you. I just needed to see you."
"You're getting snot on me."
I scoffed. "Is that really all you have to say?"
"No. Why can't I stay?"
"Are you insane?" I nearly squeaked. "Do you remember what happened last time? I can't trust you after that. I never should've trusted you."
"You don't trust me?"
"No, I don't. And I'm still mad at you." I tried to look angry, but I felt more tears welling up in my eyes. I wondered if he was getting fed up of my bouts of crying on him.

"I'm hurt," he pouted.
"Okay, Betelgeuse. I'm hurt, too. It hasn't been an easy few months, and I had a terrible night. I got into a huge argument with everyone all because of you. Because I miss you," I admitted.
"Do you have any idea what I've been going through?" he scowled. "I've been shunned from almost everywhere in Hell, I have no friends, I'm an orphan-"
"You're about a thousand years old. I wouldn't exactly call you an orphan."
"Whatever. I am an orphan."
"Alright, Beej, if you say so. But we're wasting time. Before you go, I need to-"
"Hold on, what?" he interrupted me. "I'm not going anywhere, Lyds."
I got a sick feeling, causing me to pull away from him. "What? You can't stay, and I already told you I'm not coming."
"You already said my name."
My eyes widened. "No. That was just so I could see you one last time."
"You still said it, Lydia," he grinned manically. "You kinda set me free."

I stared at him in terror. As much as it broke my heart, my first instinct kicked in.

"I'm sorry." I pushed him back and slammed the door shut. Immediately, I sank down to my knees, crying for the millionth time. I just didn't know what to do. My brain was begging for me to hammer that door locked, yet my heart was aching at the thought of missing him again. I hadn't even told him what I had to. Within thirty seconds, he began pestering me, banging on the door and screaming muffled threats. I couldn't take it. Frustrated and torn, I forced myself up and carefully opened the door.

I hugged him again because I knew it would probably be the last time unless something else went terribly wrong in my life.
"I knew you'd come back for me," he gushed.
I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, okay. Before I say goodbye for the last time, I needed to tell you something. You messed a lot of things up, but you also changed my life forever. You saved my life. Remember when I was about to jump?" I recalled the cold, tight feeling in my chest, as I looked over the note and prepared to leave earth. "I was going to do it. But then there was you. You were the only... person who saw me, who understood."
"Yeah, I did that," Betelgeuse looked down at me proudly. "Some of my best work."
I wanted to start screaming.
"I have to go back now. I love you, Betelgeuse," my voice broke. "I'll miss you a lot. When I die, I'll come visit you."
He looked perplexed. "You're not going anywhere."
"Please, Betelgeuse. If you love me, you have to let me go. I know that's hard for you because you're incredibly selfish." I nervously picked at my fingernail.
"I do love you. You're my only friend. I've never loved anything, but you taught me how to love. You're probably the first thing I haven't wanted to demolish in a very long time," he confessed. "I actually want to keep you safe. Which is, um, very weird because I usually want everyone to die." I was dumbfounded. He was acting so out-of-character.
I wrapped my arms around his neck once more, my shoulders shaking with sobs.
"Then you have to let me go, Betelgeuse," I looked into my best friend's dark eyes. "Because you love me."

"I feel obligated to protect you." He seemed genuinely concerned, but it could be difficult to take him seriously with a voice like that.
"I'm safe, I promise. I have to leave."

I took a step back into reality, but he grabbed my arm.

"Please don't leave, Lydia," Betelgeuse stared into my soul. "Please."
"I have to."
"Just one day." I watched his eyes light up as the idea dawned on him. "Lydia, just one day together? And then I'll never bother you again."

"No," I answered immediately.

"Please?" he whined. "I'll just take you in there for a day and then you can go back home and I'll leave forever."

"I don't trust you."

"Lydia, I know what I did last time was wrong. I've learned my lesson. I'm a changed man," he announced. I gave him a look, preparing to humble him.
"You're not exactly a man-"
"Oh my God, Lydia, shut up. Always getting caught up on details and missing the big picture."

His words. His pretty words pierced holes in my brain, rendering me illogical and emotional.

"Yeah? That's your girl," I shrugged.
"That's my girl, and she's trying to distract me. Are you coming or not?"

Every sane part of me was screeching to slam the door and run away, yet the little devil over my shoulder wanted nothing more than one more day with her best friend.

"What's it gonna be?" Betelgeuse smiled, putting out his hand for me.
Nothing felt real. I narrowed my eyes and looked him up and down suspiciously. My lips curled into a smirk and I thoughtlessly placed my hand in his.

"Just one day, promise?" I asked. "Or I'm gonna kill you. Again."
"Promise."

I locked my pinky finger with his in an oath.
I couldn't believe what I had gotten myself into.