I accepted her hug, still feeling a bit unsure of everything. "I've missed you so much, baby." she cried, squeezing me tightly. I hugged her tighter. "I love you." I said, softly. "I love you too. So much." I felt a wet hot tear on my shoulder. "Come on, don't turn on the waterworks." I said. "I hate it when you cry." "They're happy tears, Dark." she said, sniffling a bit. "Happy or not, you're getting my shoulder wet. Come on, buck up." She laughed. "Alright, alright..." she let go of me and studied me. "You look like you're doing alright." She was correct. Her smile faded. "Are...you still upset with me?" The only thing I hate more than admitting my feelings is lying about them. "You cut me deep." I said. "It's gonna take a little time to get over it." She hugged me again. "I'm sorry." she said softly. I couldn't help but forgive her a bit at that moment. "It's gonna be fine, I'm just glad you're back. I've missed you so fucking much." We stood there embracing for what felt like hours. "I am never leaving you again." she said. "I hope not." I replied. "This last week and a half or so has been hell." It occurred to me that she had given up her apartment to move into my condo. "Where were you staying at? I totally spaced on you giving up your place." "I was with a friend. It was fine...but I have to get my stuff at some point and move in with her soon." "Do you really though?"I asked. "Well, it's gonna take me a second to find a new apartment, so yes." she replied. "I want you here with me." I blurted out. "Seriously, a roommate would be great, but only if it's you." She looked at me for awhile. "You mean that? I mean after all that happened...you'd..." "Yeah. That's what best friends do." She hugged me even tighter. "I'd love that." she said. I was glad for it, too. For a moment, I thought she was going to move out. "Look, let's...talk. We have a lot to discuss." I could feel her nervousness. "It's okay."I said, taking her by the hand. I took a deep breath and sat on the couch with her. "So tell me how it happened." I said, feeling anxious. She looked shocked, then relaxed. "I don't even know. I just...I got wasted and one thing led to another. I was so mortified and upset afterward. I couldn't believe I'd done that. I've never done anything like that before..." So she was getting drunk. I thought her cheating was awfully out of character. "I can't say it was an accident. That sort of thing is never an accident...but I regret it something fierce. I was telling myself no the whole time, but...it happened anyway." Okay, ouch, that stings...but that's what I expected to hear: something that stung. I sighed. "I ended us." she said softly. "No, you ended our dating relationship. We are very much still a thing...just less formal." "I've thought about it, and it's better that way." she replied. "I want to be with you so badly...I think deep down I always will...so I'll be staying single. I don't want to put another guy through what I put you through." "As noble as that is, I'm willing to bet that someday you won't feel quite like that." I replied. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused. "I'm willing to bet you'll eventually forgive yourself, and wind up with someone...and that's fine, just don't forget about your old roomie. And don't do him like you did me. Kinda funny how someone like me has never cheated. I think so, anyway. Sure, there was a time when I ruined a relationship...but I was a teenager, trying to impress friends. I meant no harm. What you did was cold, (y/n). I wondered about dating you for so long, and then...I went out on a limb, and you sawed it off and let me fall." "I'm sorry." she sobbed. "I can't say it enough. What do you want from me, Dark? My soul?" "You lost your soul the moment you became immortal, (y/n). Besides, what use do I have for a human soul?" Jesus, I was becoming colder and colder as the minutes ticked by. I guess I still have some pent up feelings. I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, this was supposed to be a happy reunion...and frankly, it's just getting ugly. I need a second." She nodded and I got up and walked to my room. "Nice job, kiddo. You bombed hard." I looked up to see Asmoday clinging to my ceiling. "What are you doing here?" I asked in a harsh whisper. "I was going to be a fly on the wall, but I'm not so great at shapeshifting just yet, so I'm hanging out in here eavesdropping. You came down hard on her. Too hard." "Too hard? She did stab me in the back." "Right, and you have two options: deal with it, or say goodbye to her forever. That's it. It's a black and white thing." I hate it when he's right. "Thanks for spying on me, giving me a lecture, and leaving footprints on my ceiling." I said, sitting on the bed. He gracefully floated down and sat beside me. "I thought you worked through these feelings of yours." "Whose side are you on?" I asked, defensively. "Yours, but...if you really love her, why are you being so hard on her?" "What did I say that was wrong? It's not like I called her a cunt. It seems to me like you're expecting me to not care that she cheated, which is fucking wrong and fucking stupid." "That's not it, kid. It's your attitude that's wrong. You want her in your life. Don't invite her to be your roomie and then snap at her in the same breath. You'll lose your best friend for life." I fucking hate it when he's right. "Alright, alright. Fine. I admit it, I should've handled that a bit better...but she-" "But what? She fucked up. Badly. I'm disappointed in her, to say the least, oh well. You two are best friends...now go treat her like one. It's not that it's wrong to acknowledge that she fucked up. It's that you did that, she knows it, and you both need to move on. I'm here if you need anything." "I noticed...though you shouldn't be here you know?" He shrugged. "I'm a demon, I go where I please." "You promised me privacy, dad." I growled. "And you have it." he replied. "It's not like I'm sitting in the same room as you." I sighed. "Such a bastard." I muttered. "I've never been married to your mother, I think that makes you the bastard." "Oh, fuck off." I said, standing up. "Don't take it personally, it wasn't my choice." he said. "Now is not the time for jokes." "Alright, alright, fine. I'm out. Just go make up with her already." He disappeared again and I went out and sat beside (y/n). I took a deep breath. "Alright, I'm sorry...I'm just still reeling a bit. Let's move past this." she looked at me, with mistrust in her eyes. "Don't look at me that way." I scolded. She cracked a bit of a smile. "That's more like it." I replied. "Now, what did you do during your vacation?" She listed of a liteny of random things, including obviously getting her hair dyed. "Frankly, I like the color." I said, playing with it. "Really? I was hoping you would. I was afraid you'd hate it." "(Y/N), you're hot. There's not much you could do to change that." I replied. "You were always good at fashion advice." she replied. "How? I wear almost exclusively black and do my hair the same way every day." "Consistency is a good thing." I laughed. "If you say so." I replied. "I missed your laugh." she said. "It's contagious." "I missed your face. It's...I dunno, but I like it." she laughed. "What a poet." she remarked. "I'm not the kind of demon who is great with words." "Really? Your little jabs are pretty funny." I shrugged. "It's natural. I'm a fucking savage." I heard a thunderclap in the distance. "Oh look, the weather is cooperating." I said. "I wonder how many people just said the exact opposite." (y/n) replied, looking outside at the thick black clouds that were rolling toward us. "Who cares? This is our weather." I draped my arm around her and she laid her head against mine. "Don't get all sleepy on me, we have lots to chat about." "I'm not sleepy, I'm comfy. You make a wonderful pillow." I relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever. "Arioch, I'm sorry." she muttered. "I know you are." I replied. God, it still sounds strange when she calls me that...but I love it. Her voice is so pretty. "I so wish I could take it back." "Well, I can travel back in time." she looked at me hopefully. "But...I can't even talk to others. All I can do is roam around...you can't even see me. At best, I could kill the guy..." "No." she protested. "Why?" I asked. "I thought you wanted to take it back?" "I do, but you can't kill this guy." My breath hitched. "Was it Mark? I swear to everyone, if it was him, I will kill him. He knew about us. I told him first." "No, no, it wasn't Mark, it was one of his friends. A close friend. You can't kill him...he's got too much going on in his life...plus, it'd kill Mark if he died. You know how death impacts him." I sighed. "That piece of shit. Does he know?" "God, no." she replied. "I can't just come out with something like that." I closed my eyes for a moment. "Alright, alright, it's over with. The more we talk about this, the more upsetting it becomes....can I beat the hell out of him though?" She giggled. "You're so violent. Go for it. I'd love to give him an ass whooping, too." "I swear, I will beat him within an inch of his life...but not now. Right now, I'm spending time with you." I relaxed again, pushing the newfound information out of my head. It's fine. You're fine. She's fine. Everything is coming back together. I thought. She held onto me tightly. "You're awesome. You're the only guy I know who would ever treat me like this...even after I...you know." "Best friend is not a term I throw around lightly." I said. She played with my hips, drawing her finger up my side. I tried to disguise my laughter with coughing. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Nothing." she replied, continuing to do what she was doing. I squirmed away from her. "What? Feel funny?" she teased. "Oh I bet you think you're just hilarious. First you cheat on me, then you tickle me. Give me one good reason not to hate you right now." I teased. She pinned me on my back. "Because you love me too much to hate me." I tried prying her off, but she can hang on tightly when she wants to. "You're gonna take us off the couch, (y/n)." I warned. She didn't seem too concerned. She continued to wrestle me until we wound up on the floor, laughing. "You win." I said, tossing my hands up. Bad move, she attacked me under my arms. "Quit it." I laughed. "Nope." she replied, tickling my neck. I disappeared from under her and reappeared behind her, giving her a little push. She fell on her face and I disappeared again. "Come find me and I'll reward you." I called, snickering a bit. This could get interesting.
