Time Stopped for You

Shaping Up

Sweat is dripping off my face, I race towards Shura with my sword out. She mocks me sending more air strikes my way, I've gotten better at dodging them. I learned I can work with light and a little bit of fire, the only problem is that it takes a lot of energy.
On her word I send a line of fire towards her which she easily dodges, my tail is thrashing about behind me.
"Not bad kid," she snickers walking over to me. She puts a hand on my shoulder, "ya get better every session."
"Thanks," I smile at her through trying to catch my breath.
"Vatican thinks you're making good progress despite not knowing how to handle you," she crosses her arms watching me put my sword in its sheath and over my back.
"Can I least work soon then? All this doing nothing is driving me nuts," I mimic her stance, though I feel a little less intimidating in my tank top and jeans.
"The clowns working on it," she snorts squinting at me a little. "He's convinced you're valuable for us."
"I mean I'd like to be," I shrug looking down at my worn sneakers.
"Well lucky for you the clown usually gets his way, for better or worse," she sighs grabbing her coat off the floor. "Just don't let him talk you into any favors."
I nod a part of me wondering how long he thinks it'll take people to realize we're together, yet knowing him he could take a secret to the grave if he had one.
"Same time Monday," she waves on her way out the door. She's got a mission this weekend so I get to skip out on three days of training I guess. The more we work together the more she grows on me, she's a lot more caring than she lets on. She did put her number in my phone in case she gets caught up somewhere, thankfully she didn't see Mephisto's messages. In the past week he's amped up his texting to the point I keep my
phone on silent, I think his meetings have gotten top tier below his interest. He sends me videos from anime's or a list of games and anime to pick from. It's enough to drive me up a wall, but it's all in good fun on his part. Trying to keep me in his virtual loop.
We got out of telling my mom and Cara about me, I guess the Vatican told them. I got angry messages and voicemails about hiding from them. Rex actually covered for me told them I was really sick from it, guess he is gonna try harder to be just a friend.
Mephisto wants to invite them to dinner some night to discuss our actions moving forward. I have to give another retelling of my experience to the Vatican and Angel next week, can't say I'm looking forward to it. The Vatican also captured one of the Illuminati people I've been told and want me to identify them.
It's enough to make my head spin, however it's a sign things might be somewhat normal in the near future. As normal as they can get anyway. I go down the hall for my physical and blood check, they started doing this last weekend after every session.
Once they finish up I thank them and head out towards the doors, I expect it to be getting warmer it's almost noon.
When I get outside I'm met with cloudy skies threatening some rain, what a bummer.
I'm about to start down the stairs when a tug on my hair makes me spin around on my feet, "what the hell?"
Amaimon blinks at me a lollipop hanging from his mouth, "Brother told me to wait for you here."
"For what exactly?" I'm not disappointed to see him, it has crossed my mind that he has vanished for awhile.
He shrugs putting his hands in his pockets, "are we going to play?"
"If you want I'm not doing anything," I start towards the road Belial is supposed to pick me, or well I guess us up.
He grabs ahold of my tail when we get to the curb making me shriek, "that's new."
I smack his hand gently until he lets go, "yeah I know."
He tilts his head looking me over more closely, "brother did not tell me that."
He grabs my sword and yanks it off me as Belial pulls up. I hold my outburst of frustration inside and get in the car, he follows examining the sword.
"Mmm it would be fun to fight you now, but I'm not allowed," he throws the sword back to me lightly, before throwing his lollipop stick out the window.
He silent the whole way to Mephisto's house, he just stares out the window. I wonder what goes through his head. He gets out first and starts up the steps clearly not planning to wait for me. I follow up to Mephisto's room, he's already digging through the stack of video games.
"So what are you doing back, haven't seen you in awhile," I start turning the console on halfheartedly  searching for the second controller.  Mephisto isn't exactly organized.
"I go to the school now," he mumbles while putting the game he picked in. Looks like some old style fighting game, something like I played with him before.
"Oh that's interesting..." I can't see him doing schoolwork or well showing up to class even. He plops down on the floor and picks up the controller waiting for me. We play just about every multiplayer game Mephisto owns and that's saying something. In between Amaimon has wandered to the kitchen and brought back armloads of junk food.
We're still playing some quest game that has him frustrated when Mephisto comes home, we don't even hear him until he's standing in the doorway.
"Well I see you two are getting along just fine," he puts a hand on his hip. "Very good since my little brother will be staying with us."
"What?!" I think we say in unison and Mephisto bursts out laughing when we drop the controllers.
"She lives here?" Amaimon points at me.
"She does yes," Mephisto grins. I pause the game expecting this to take a minute and snatch a bag of chips from Amaimon's stash.
He shoots me a glare but allows it, "I get to play with her when I want then."
"That's out of my control," Mephisto smirks coming to sit beside us on the floor. "I think I'll join in."
We go back to playing shortly after until Amaimon gets too frustrated and wants to throw the controller, then Mephisto excuses himself and takes Amaimon to show him his room. Well the house sure won't be as quiet anymore, can't say I hate the idea.
I take the opportunity to run to my room and change into sweatpants and a crop top I forgot I owned. It sits just above my waist, I don't prefer showy clothes all that much.
As I step out of my room, Mephisto is just about to go back in his.
"Princess," he smirks and opens his arms.
I walk into his hug wrapping him in my own. I told him about my chat with Rex, even the part of my denied hug. He teased me about it for a bit before making me promise we would never deny each other a hug. At the time I did not consider how many times he could use that against me.
"Do tell me about your training," he beckons me in his room once he's satisfied with my hug. He poofs into his usual at home anime clothes and starts to "reorganize" his game stack while I fill him in.
"Tell me what type of favor do you suggest?" He snickers when I tell him about Shura. He pokes around his figures while telling me about his meetings and progress on my part.
"You really don't think they're gonna find out?" I cross my arms watching him prepare his pillow stack for the night.
"What aspect darling?" He glances at me poofing a popsicle into his hand. I really wonder where that stuff comes from some hidden stash in hell or what?
"Us dumbass," I scrunch my face up watching him bite down on the popsicle. That's just monstrous.
"Would you be embarrassed," he smirks waving the popsicle at me.
"That's clearly not the point," I mumble ignoring him getting closer to me. "Wouldn't that make this whole situation a whole new shit show."
"If you're implying that they will think I did this..." he tilts his popsicle stick at me, "they already do darling."
He throws the stick into his tiny trash can and plops himself down on the bed, he pats the spot next to him. I sit next to him hugging my tail tight to my waist thinking how strange it is.
"I would not lie to you, it surprises me that you continue to..." he trails off looking at me a little closer a frown forms.
"Surprises you that I what?" I raise an eyebrow the tip of my tail twitching as his gaze washes over me again. He sighs looking down at the floor, this is something new from him at a loss? The clown is never at a loss for words.
"It surprises me you continue to entertain the idea of us," he brushes hair behind my ear his brow still furrowed.
My turn to frown at him I let my tail loose laying on the bed behind me, "are you tired of me already?"
I can't help it the smile escapes when he is confused by my response, when I start to giggle he rolls his eyes. A smile once again tugging at his features.
"We haven't been an us long enough to not entertain it, regardless of this" I make a point to use air quotes around us just so he gets the point. "If I was done with you I wouldn't have let you talk me into moving in... not that you gave me an option!" I grab one of his pillows and toss it at him.
He catches it with ease amusement glinting in his green eyes, "I'm starting to believe you are the dangerous one here."
"Uh huh sure you are," I toss another pillow and before I know it I'm hit with one.