Helluva Boss: ''Helluva Human Kid''

Ch.20 - The Big Surprise

On the way back to the apartment, Loona cradled a sleepy Balin in her arms like a baby, as he tried to stay awake after their milkshake filled sunset cuddle in No-Name Town to end their day together.

If she was being honest, Loona had more of an amazing day than he did.

She couldn't recall having that much fun, especially with somebody else, since a big party she was invited to in the Gluttony Ring. Or... maybe ever, considering her isolated nature with other demons.

It was then her smartphone started ringing in her pocket. She wanted to pick it up right away, but seeing Balin in her arms, she quickly went over to a bench near the curb and rested him close to her, even if there were a few shady demons prowling along.

"Here you go, Balin." she gently spoke, wrapping her tail around him. "Now keep this wrapped around you just in case. Gotta take this quick."

The boy then yawned with a nod as he kept going in and out. After a while of not having so much fun, today's adventures really took a lot of out of him.

Loona then picked up her ringing phone to see it was her friend, Vortex, who was calling her.

Her eyes widened seeing this and quickly took it before it could go to voicemail.

"Yeah? It's Loona? Go for it?" she answered, trying to sound flat before nervously giggling.

"Oh. Hey Loona." Tex answered. "Is now a good time or...?"

"Yes! Of course it is!" she said wagging her tail fast before clearing her throat nervously again. "I mean, I don't see a reason not to talk, so... w'sup?"

"Well, me and Bee were wondering, it's been a while since the last party we invited you to, so you wanna party with us again tonight?

ELSEWHERE, in GLUTTONY...

Vortex stood outside he and his girlfriend's mansion in the Gluttony Ring.

"We've got your favourites this time. Heavy metal, beezlejuice with less of the sauce, all that jazz." he continued.

BACK TO THE CURB...

"Oh yeah, sure. Yeah, I'm down for a night of..."

Loona was about to finish but surprisingly stopped to think about Balin, as he tossed and turned a little in Loona's tail. She still had feelings for the gentle giant since they met during a bet during Spring Break between Blitzø and his ex, but she knew he had a girlfriend that he introduced her to at that last hound party, and on top of that, having Balin in her life suddenly became a priority.

So taking a deep breath, Loona ultimately made her decision.

"Loona? Girl, you there? You okay?" asked Tex through the phone.

"Actually Tex, I'd love to, but... I can't. Not tonight." said Loona in a calm tone. "I'm currently taking care of a kid."

"Oh, a kid? You a babysitter now?" Tex then asked again in surprise.

"No, no, it's not like that!" flushed Loona in defence. "Well... it's a little something like that. His parents were sent away and he's..."

"Oh man." gasped the male hellhound quietly. "Hope he's going strong so far."

"He is. We found him during one of our missions a couple of nights ago." she then looked down at the boy. "My colleagues like him a great deal, and frankly, so do I."

...

GLUTTONY:

Tex wasn't expecting this much of a 'sorry to decline' from his strongly independent friend, but he still understood.