I have no idea where Asmoday is, but I figured I'd start with asking my mom. I slipped in the door and she almost tackled me in a tight hug. "What are you doing here?" she asked. I didn't want to ruin the moment by blurting out that I was seeking out Asmoday. "I just thought I'd drop by." I felt bad, I really do need to see her more. "I'm glad. I've missed you, you have no idea." she squeezed me until I felt something pop. "Easy there, you want me in one piece don't you?" I asked. "Two might be better, that way a piece of you will always be here." I'm still not terribly familiar with guilt, but I know it when I feel it. "Mom...I'm sorry I don't come here enough." "You're busy, I get it." "Enough about me, how are you?" "You know, the usual. Your dad has been a pest as of late-I'm sure you already know." "Tell me about it. I'm beginning to wonder what you see in him." "A lot of you." she replied. "Is that the only reason you keep him around?" I asked, half joking. "Of course not, but it certainly is an added bonus." "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were implying...nevermind." "No Oedipus bullshit around here, kid." she said. I couldn't help but laugh. She's always had a subtle, yet dark sense of humor and I love her for it. "So, I take it you're free?" I asked. "As free as I can be with the kids in school. What's on your mind?" "Where's Asmoday?" I asked. "Outside doing yardwork. I'd rather him be there for the time being than around me. I'm still kinda sore at him..." "What the hell did he do, anyway?" I asked. "Trust me, some things are better left unsaid." She wouldn't say that for no good reason. I left the conversation alone and excused myself to find Asmoday. He spotted me from high above the ground, where he was trimming trees. He didn't speak a word to me. "Don't get the wrong impression, I don't want to talk about...things. I just wanted to let you know your harpy buddy from the Plains is about to kick the bucket and she wants to see you again." I got his attention, but he still said nothing. "At least tell me you heard me." I said, impatiently. "I heard you. I'll go as soon as I'm done here." I flashed him the peace sign and started walking away. "And you're coming with me." I turned around sharply. "No thanks. I was just there." "I didn't ask." he replied. "Well, I didn't ask if you asked. I'm not going with you." He landed right in front of me and crossed his arms. "Yeah. You are. Try to evade me." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Where do you get off that you're just going to show up in my life and tell me what to do? I'm an adult." "You're never too old to talk back to your father." he replied. "Besides, I thought you wanted to see me more." "I do, but not now...you have a lot of explaining to do and I'm not ready to listen." I said, not breaking my intimidating gaze. "If you don't come with me willingly, I'll drag you there. Think I'm playing? Try me." I knew he was serious. "What do I get if I go? Sounds to me like you just want to torment me with your presence because you know I don't want it right now." "You'll see when we go." he left it at that. I sighed, cursing under my breath. "When do we leave?" I asked, defeated. "Tonight. Just stay put." I shook my head and cursed some more. He's a bit too much like me sometimes. This is the kind of shit I pulled with Mark, following him around when he was mad at me, teasing him, taunting him, and being as much of a pain as I could be without stepping over the thin line that divides being a pest from being mentally unstable. I stayed outside through the rain. Being cold and in darkness to me at the time was better than facing Asmoday. When he finally came out hours later, he barely looked at me as he brushed by me. "Try to keep up." he said. Try? I'm much more fluid than him. My skinnier frame gives me better mobility...or so I thought. Turns out, he's rather fast, and hard to follow. I was winded and lost him before I even knew what was happening. Had I not known the way to the river that leads out to the Astral Plains, I would've been lost. I finally reached the river and Asmoday was sitting, waiting on me, smoking a cigarette. "Took you long enough. You know, someone of your build should move quicker." "Smoking?" I asked, half smirking. "Don't tell your mother." he replied. "It's been a long fucking time, but I need it. I've got more than too much stress." "Don't start fucking with my emotions. I'm mad at you." "I would never." he replied. Master manipulator. God, I see where I get it from. "Let's go." he said, taking a dive. I followed, submerging myself slower. My body takes forever to adapt to this horrible water. "Aren't you freezing?" I asked, trying not to shake too much. "Nah. I swam out here all the time back in the day. Got used to it, now quit slowing us down." I went all the way under the water and my entire face stung and burned from the cold. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but blackness. I would have taken a deep breath, but...the coldness of the water makes my lungs burn like fire, ironically. I surfaced by myself and kept up the swim until I felt icy water pouring on my head. I let out a sound that was a ghost of a scream with a hint of a yelp. I turned around and was unsurprised to see Asmoday was behind it. "Dick." I said, continuing to swim. "Lighten up." he said, coming parallel to me. "After all that's been going on, I'm not gonna lighten up." He sighed. "Look...I know you said you don't wanna talk about it, but I think we should." I paused, and almost turned around, but I realized I was trapped. "Fuck. This is why you wanted me out here." I grunted. "Yes...and trust me, it's gonna be fine." "I don't trust you right now. You show up, you fuck off with (y/n)...you...well, you know what you did." Great, he's got me talking and I don't wanna talk. "Look, I made a bad choice. I like (y/n)...but...she should have never been first priority." "And yet she was. Explain." "I was curious." "About what? Sex? You shouldn't be..." "Humans, idiot. Remember how humans are kinda new to me?" I got painted into a corner. I'd never thought of that. "Fuck, fair enough..." "So where did things land with you and (y/n)?" "I'm done with her. That's that."he seemed surprised. "I can't imagine you being serious about it." he replied. "I am done with her. Done. She cheated, took advantage of my abilities, and then ignored me for you...fuck her. I think I deserve a better best friend." He looked deep in thought. "It's your life. I still like her." "You can have her...so long as she doesn't come between us again...if that happens, then you two can go fuck off somewhere and never speak to me again." "You really did inherit some of my anger..." "Not mad, just being honest. I can only issue so many chances. I'm a bit hard to get to know...starting off on the wrong foot with me is usually a big problem." "You start every day off on the wrong foot. You're so full of piss and vinegar." I scoffed at him. "I'm salty, but I'm rational." I plunged under the surface only to have my face freeze on me. I surfaced and shook my head. "This trip really fucking blows." I said. "I think we should talk more." he said. "Come on, dad. I don't think there's really much to talk about." "I just can't see you leaving (y/n)..." "I already did. She moved out. I'm moving on." He seemed surprised. "Why can't you see it? Are you on her side?" "No. I just...the two of you were so close." I sighed. "Yeah. Were. She's just not who I thought she was. Hurts, but...life is full of surprises. Wherever she goes from here, I wish her well. You're acting like I want her dead...so is she." I said. "I know you don't want her dead, and so does she. She's upset...you are too." "Damn right. I figured I'd never lose (y/n)...she was just too loyal to fuck me off. I was wrong. Shit, oh well." We swam along in silence. "Do you miss her?" I scoffed. "No. All those pent up negative thoughts of her have made their way to the surface. I am not missing her at all. I do miss the cat though...let's speed this up so I can get home and feed her." "You have a thing for animals, don't you? Like a soft spot." "I do...a big one." "I used to be that way, but I lost my touch with animals a long time ago." I turned myself into a graceful black dolphin. "We can really cut down the trip time as dolphins." I said. I have no idea why the fuck I didn't do this before. "Sounds like an idea. So long and thanks for all the fish style." I made a face. "You know about that song?" "You don't give me nearly the credit I deserve. What? Think I haven't raided your phone for music?" I plummeted below the surface and cut through the water with ease. Much better. My vision improved tremendously, and now I could see that the floor of the sea was littered with all kinds of treasures. Dark, smooth stones that glimmered a bit from the limited light. I should be a dolphin more often. We made landfall just 2 short hours later and I scrambled my way through snowbanks trying to find a cave with a fire. "You're directionally challenged, aren't you?" Asmoday asked, nudging my ribs. "No..." I stammered, looking away. "You never look at me when you lie." I looked at him. "You never tease me when you're confident." His smirked dropped into a deadpan look. "Gotcha." I replied. "You got lucky, is what you got." "Look, just help me look. Do something. You're way more familiar with this place than I am." I followed him blindly until we stumbled upon our destination. There she was sitting atop a nest of sticks and stones...
