The Stronghold 3: Mikachi

People Need To Learn To Knock

My eyes were still closed but they fluttered open when Sam drew away. If I had more emotions I would have been blushing furiously and giggling madly but instead I just nodded slightly and said:

"Nice."

Sam laughed at that, a little bit nervous and quite quietly. "You could say so," he agreed. There were a few seconds of comfortable silence where we just stared at each other and I found myself running through all the people Sam had been coupled with during all of Supernatural. He hadn't looked at anyone quite the way he was looking at me and I felt my heart swell, a slight flush creeping into my cheeks.

"Am I going to die now?" he asked eventually, the silence not breaking sharply but melting away. I blinked and frowned a little.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I mean, the demon in me is squealing like a fangirl but is also strangely calm. It can accept anything right now and something tells me this isn't going to be just like the usual tales. Something is different this time. Maybe we'll both die, I don't know." I sighed minutely. "That would be a change."

"Damn," Sam said suddenly. I looked up and saw a flash of panic in his eyes. "Dean."

"What about Mr In-Denial?"

"He'll never let this go. Hell, I'm stuck with him all day tomorrow while you're working." He glanced down at his watch and frowned. "No, wait, today. You have school today."

"And I ripped my suit," I said flatly, indicating the torn garments I still wore. 

"Well it's a good thing we're eavesdropping," Nova called from behind the door, "'cause you're gonna need to borrow some of my stuff again, Shaadey."

I sighed deeply and Sam went pink. "They still don't know what happened," I murmured, making him smile a little. 

"I'll take you up on that offer, Nova," I said louder. Footsteps went away from the door, accompanied by a sly laugh. The door in question opened slowly and Dean's head emerged from around it. He looked incredibly suspicious and that suspicion deepened when he saw me and Sam sat on the bed, less than two inches away from one another.

"I don't know what's happened," he said, "but if Sam gets hurt, Shaade, you're dead."

"Yeah yeah," I said, rolling my eyes. When the door closed again I grinned. "See? I told you he didn't know what happened. Neither does Nova, but I'm sure she can guess with her magical sensing powers." 

"That wasn't magic," Sam frowned but I just smirked.

"It sure felt like it."

"For a cold-hearted demon you're quite the romantic," Sam countered with a laugh. 

"Did you not hear me quoting Shaadespeare for you?" I asked, hurt. Sam laughed again and sighed, shaking his head.

"You're mad."

"I sure am. But I'm not the one that just kissed me." I frowned as my muddled brain tried to decipher the sentence. "I have a feeling that didn't make sense."

"It made sense, in a weird way," Sam said. "We make sense in a weird way." He kissed me again, gentle and soft, but the door opened once more, interrupting it.

"I knew it!" Nova shouted triumphantly. "I knew it! In Satan's name I knew it!" 

"If you tell Dean you'll regret it," Sam said warningly. Dean appeared at the sound of his name and I hid my face on Sam's shoulder, partly so that I didn't get a broken nose but also to hide my grin. 

"If she tells Dean what?" he said.

"That I walked in-" she broke off and screamed. I turned my head to the left so sharply I got whiplash and my shoulder clicked. The being was stood a few feet away, staring at me with hollow eyes.

"Bad boy," it whispered. "Bad, bad boy. You broke the rules. You didn't play the game." Its face contorted into a murderous expression. "If you disobey me one more time then you will pay, Benedict, you will pay." It vanished in a swirl of shadows and I sat back, massaging my neck and wincing. 

"Who's Benedict?" 

"What was that?"

"The hell just happened?" Were all questions asked simultaneously. I sighed deeply and left one hand resting on my neck.

"I'm Benedict, that was the being and it came to threaten me," I replied.

"Benedict is a better name than Shaade," Nova said.

"But it links me back to my past and my home world and I hate it," I responded. "Only the being calls me that because it can control me. So call me Shaade, please. Or don't talk at all. That would be best." I smiled grimly.

"What's 'the being'?" Dean asked.

"A demon that trained and raised me to become a killer."

"Why was it threatening you?" Sam questioned.

"Because I changed around the soulmate thing and my demon finally settled down and accepted it."

"You're more trouble than you're worth," Dean murmured.

"Yep," I said with a grin. "I would say trouble is my middle name but it's Sparrow."

"Sparrow?" Nova laughed. "This day just gets better and better. Benedict Sparrow Jaetun."

"Stop it," I ordered.

"Sorry, Shaade Sparrow Jaetun. Still brilliant. Here's your suit." She threw a pile of clothes over to me and I caught them out of the air, nodding my thanks.

"You all can leave now," I said. Dean dragged Nova out of the room, muttering, and Sam left soon after, smiling at me as he went. I couldn't help but smile back. It was rare to see him smile, especially as the Supernatural seasons advanced, and I was determined to keep those smiles as long as I could. 

Shaking off the warm feeling I got changed and automatically rolled up the sleeves on the shirt to my elbow. It took a while and there was a large lump from all the folded material and I sighed. I left the room and found Nova, getting her to adjust the clothes so that they actually fitted. 

Once everything was in place I got handed my folders and a black satchel that could serve as a briefcase. There was a sense of when a little child starts its first day at school that I couldn't shake and it was making me feel a little foolish. I was younger than Dean and Nova, sure, but that didn't mean they were like my parents or anything. The fact that Nova was fussing over me and Dean was throwing the Impala keys up and down didn't help. 

"Don't hurt anyone," Nova warned. "No weapons, no swearing and remember that they're only children so you can't get annoyed at them quickly. Try not to answer questions about your private life but other teachers might address you as Mark so listen out for that. And don't irritate people. Or be late. Or get lost."

"Geez, Nova, I get it," I said, batting her away. "You're acting like you're my mother or something."

"You are but a small child inexperienced in the ways of this world," Nova replied. "So be quiet."

"Have you got lunch?" Dean questioned.

"Bloody hell, now you're acting like a parent too!"

"But do you?" Nova persisted.

"Yes."

"Good." She smoothed down my hair and then stepped back, running her eye over me thoughtfully. "You'll do. Dean, don't crash the Impala or kill Shaade before he gets there."

"I won't," Dean said, rolling his eyes and leading the way down the stairs. Once Nova was out of earshot he muttered:

"She really is like a worried parent."