Back In My Cage [Completed]

Chapter seven |Ending|

The ride home had been tense and, well, awkward. Shane had as he said turned back to his normal 'Shane body' when they got out of the basement, though it didn't necessarily give much comfort for Ryan. In one way it was even more unsettling, how there was just Shane, but there also was so much more underneath. It made Ryan question everything he knew about Shane. It was funny, in a way, how some of their fans actually got it.

They were now in Ryans living room, sitting on his sofa, with a big triangle drawn on the floor because 'you can't blame me! I'm just taking caution!'.

"So, what do you want to start with?" Shane asked, giving Ryan a welcoming smile.

"Have you- Have our friendship been a lie?" Ryan looked Shane in the eyes, searching for the answers there. Because that's what he really feared, what he couldn't stop thinking about the whole journey back. Had it all been a lie? Was Shane messing with him this whole time? And wouldn't Ryan be able to trust him in the future?

"Hey, as I said back then in the mansion: I am still the Shane you know and love. Of course I had to lie about my true identity, but it wasn't like you ever asked about it either. You never assumed I was nothing but human, which is expected. I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I was just too scared. Still, everything you know about Shane is real. I may not be a skeptic as you have now realized, but I still love to piss off ghosts and love doing everything we do at Watcher together."

Ryan released a noticeable sigh of relief and felt as though he now could truly relax. Though something Shane said made Ryan bolt up again.

"So it's true that ghosts exist? I was right all along!"

They both started wheezing.

"Yeah, yeah you were right, don't need to brag about it." Shane said in between laughs.

"But," Ryan got serious again. "Why, me? Why... stick around?"

"Now don't take this the wrong way. At first I just joined buzzfeed to have something to entertain myself with temporarily, but then you asked me to be a part of your show and when I heard it was about the paranormal, well I almost couldn't hold in the laughter! The show did though help me with my job. And well, then we started hanging out and you became my closest friends. I even became a bit... protective, of you."

"Protective of me? For what?"

"Well you would believe it, the places we go to can be quite dangerous! Of course most places we visit only really have low energy ghosts and are harmless, sometimes I even have to interfere for the episode to turn out interesting, but sometimes there is something more demonic, something that actually poses a threat. I don't want it to harm you, so I'm keeping you close and when we're doing solo investigations that's why I also want to go first, to put it in its place. I don't film that, that's why my recordings are sometimes shorter."

Ryan was a bit stunned at the confession. He actually got a little flustered thinking about it. Sure they were only friends, but it still felt nice knowing that he cared that much.

"Wow, that kinda makes me feel a bit guilty, like I should pay you back in some way."

"No, no." Shane insisted. "I really wouldn't want that. For, and this is what I want you to not take the wrong way, when you get scared and all, well, it feeds me." Shane said a bit awkwardly, hearing Ryan let out a questioning noise.

"Now you have to understand, I would never put you in any danger, and I am not sticking around for that reason, but I am a demon and we feed off of any negative feelings. You are, generally, an anxious man, so being around you at those moments are addicting, for a lack of better words... I know it's wrong, it sounds very weird, but- you know what I mean." Shane said, at the end growing a bit frustrated.

"Sure, big guy." Ryan wheezed. "Well, I still want to thank you for I guess protecting me all these years."

"Don't sweat it! Now, could we erase the triangle? I don't mind being honest and all, I won't just suddenly lie when I'm not in one, but it still feels uncomfortable to be, you know, unable."

"Yeah, of course! Sorry for putting you in this vulnerable position. I just... had to be sure."

"I totally understand. I actually also want to say thank you."

"For what?"

"Well, for still being here? For not exorcising me away or something." Shane joked halfheartedly. He really feared that possibility. Ryan let out a light chuckle. Even though Shane tried to not make it a big deal, Ryan still understood the importance of this. This was something personal, not something he trusted many, if not any, with. He wouldn't want to ruin this for anything.

Ryan stood up and erased the lines he drew, but as he did he remembered something again.

"Hey, you said something about buzzfeed unsolved helping you at your job, what did you mean by that?" Ryan inquired, feeling curious about this other life of Shane.

"I have taken upon the task of collecting spirits! I wanted to take a break after that imprisonment-incident, and collecting wild spirits is usually a very fun and chill job. Just guid, or in most cases beat, lost and damned souls into hell."

"Wait a minute" Ryan said with a giant grin on his face. "So you're telling me that you were actually ghost hunting?" Shane stared at Ryan with furrowed eyebrows, but as Ryan saw Shane realizing it he straight out wheezed.

"No, that's not funny!" Shane said through heavy chuckles. "I can't believe- I won't admit to it!" Shane continued, having to make great effort getting the words out. The irony of it was far funnier than it had to be.

"You can't escape it!"

"It's my destiny it seems!"

They laughed some more until Ryan coughed and prepared himself to talk again. It was fun to just have the old banter back.

"Now," Ryan started, sitting back down at the couch and turned to Shane. "I am very sorry for making you go back there. If I knew we wouldn't have gone there."

"It's okay. See where it took us! I say it could have been worse." Shane smirked.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Ryan said, smiling back.

"Though speaking of that place." Shane said, rising from his place on the couch. "I should probably go back there and take care of those souls. It was true what you said: I just booked it after killing them. They are still there, trapped in the human realm."

"Oh, of course! Do you mind if- if I tag along?" Ryan asked, also standing up.

"Sure! Though, I have to warn ya, I will turn to demon form again, horns, tail and all." Shane said, crossing his arms over each other. "Don't want to scare you."

"Don't worry. I was terrified at first since I thought I might've cursed my best friend and was myself about to die, but now I know better. You won't have to, hide, that part of yourself for me anymore."

Ryan could almost see Shane's eyes gloss over, but never got the chance since Shane reached forward and took him in for a hug.

"Well," Shane began, coughing one time to get away the lump in his throat. "You're welcome to join me for some kidnapper ass-kicking."

"Let's go ghost hunting!"

"Shut up. First, we should go to sleep, ghost hunting can wait til tomorrow."

"It's very late, you're right." Ryan agreed, watching the time on his phone. "You can take my couch." Ryan then suggested.

"Thank you." Shane said, giving a short nod and heading for the bathroom.

"Wait, but do you still need human necessities? Like do you need to eat, sleep and drink like us? You said you fed on my fear so-"

"Omg goodnight Ryan"