The "Guardian" Demon

Family Reunion

Brick lived alone in a crowded apartment. It wasn't that he didn't like company, quite the opposite since he was an extrovert. Just at the time he got the place he was really angsty, and didn't want people around him, but now that he was better, no one wanted to roomie with him. So he got a cat. And eventually, a "roommate."
There was something Brick dreaded more than spiders and rent, and it was family reunion parties. He was invited today, but every time he went to one, they'd ask where his partner was like they were in another room. Then he'd have to go through the gruesome explanation that he is very much content with being single. But regardless, they'd ask every time, and all he wanted was it to stop. So..
"Can you come with me as my date," he asked Jackle. "My family keeps expecting me to have a partner and it's getting annoying. Just for today man can you pretend to be my date?"
"Give me one good reason I should agree."
"There will be alcohol?"
Jackle had been on earth of quite a bit, and couldn't help to one of its greatest guilty pleasures: booze.
"..Fine."
"Yay! Ok but we gotta get dressed properly, it's my aunt's anniversary and they said to dress semiformal."
"Finally something worth getting up."
"My aunt's anniversary?"
"No, dressing up semiformal."
Jackle seemed to have a knack for fashion, even if his favourite pattern was plaid. Even the first time Brick had seen him he was wearing a two piece suit. He trusted Jackle was more than capable to dress well. But for Brick, his wardrobe consisted of band t-shirts, hoodies, and jeans. The only nice thing that he had was this white button up, but besides that, he really did look his age. He didn't have the power to just miracle some nice clothing like Jackle, he had to go shopping.

It'd been over an hour since they went to the mall, and just now were they checking out the items. Jackle had been ghost-floating around and telling Brick what looked nice and what to buy. It was more tolerable than his usual daily pestering, but it was still irritating as ever. They ended up buying a dress pant and a light coat, from the bargain bin of course. Brick still worked in a minimum wage job after all. Brick immediately realized how pricey shoes were, so they compromised and elected on just wearing his black converse. He payed at a lethal price of $38.25, it made him finch considering it was only two items. Most of his clothes were Christmas presents or gifts, it was the first time in a while since he bought clothes of his own. Regardless, he still got it and took a very uncomfortable bus ride home. He arrived home and looked at the time. They were late!
He raced to his room bag in hand, and threw off his clothes in a hurry. Brick didn't want to admit it, but the clothes didn't look half bad on him. Washed his face, brushed his hair, only to be ruined after putting on his hat. He wouldn't leave the house without it. Jackle put on his physical form, wearing some blouse with a tuxedo jacket, being extra as always. They were just about to leave when they realized, Jackle's face.
"Wait, hold on. What about your face?"
"What about my face?"
"Your mouth things, can't you just miracle them away?"
He went silent for a second.
"No, I can't."
"What why? Doesn't matter right now I'm gonna be late! Here," Brick scurried to to washroom, returning with a large surgical face mask.
"Wear this to the mask, if anyone asks just uh say you're sick and don't want to cough on anyone."
Jackle stretched it on his face, and it worked for the most part. But if you looked close at his profile, you'd see a tooth or two. They left in a hurry, and arrived at the party room where everyone was already there and eating. Now was time for the most stressful part, talking to family.

He started walking over to the host of the whole thing, his aunt, and almost instantly got nervous. It was weird, he never got nervous talking to people, but since he already kinda knew them, he guessed it was just his anxiety flailing up. She was standing around somewhere near the food bar with her husband, and suddenly stopped to walk over to Brick once he got in eyeshot. Brick greeted her with a friendly smile, saying congratulations? That's stupid, why did he say that. He was getting tongue tied, but fortunately, Jackle appeared beside him with a glass of wine just as his mind started to blank.
His aunt's eyes flew open when she saw Jackle.
"Oh my! Hello how are you? Are you my boy Brent's boyfriend?"
Jackle was about to take a sip, until remembering he had a mask on.
"Brent?" He whispered under his voice.
"Oh yeah right that's me."
Brick couldn't help but very subtlety wince, the conversation barely even started but he already felt it going sour.
"You're dressed so beautiful sweetie, I didn't expect for you to dress you handsome!"
"Thanks aunt Jess."
"I'm the one who picked out his clothes, it was quite a challenge," Jackle said amusingly. She let out a chuckle. Brick looked annoyed, Jackle was having way to much fun with this.
"You two look so adorable together! You've grown so much."
"I look even better by myself," he winked as she let out another barrel of laughter. You could see him smile, even under that surgical mask.
"Alright thanks for the chat aunt Jess I'll see you later."
Brick grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him away forcefully, and if he had looked at her as he was tugging him away he would've seen the smirk on her face. He heaved Jackle to a nearby corner and asked him the hell he was doing. He was an inch taller than Jackle, so talking down to him would be a little easier. Brick rambled on for about five minutes, but it didn't look like Jackle was listening, drinking is glass of wine several time throughout. He probably would've continued to talk if he wasn't suddenly self-conscious about what it looked like from a far away perspective. So he just walked away, deciding to indulge in the free food to bring home.

The party was finally over, and Jackle was drunk. They met up with Brick's older cousins and family friends and they all decided to do whiskey shots until dark. Brick being underage, couldn't drink, but Jackle just said he was legal age and started downing the beverage. He took off his mask after the 5th shot, but everyone was already so hammered no one even really noticed. He took a 3 mouthed shot, and Brick had to watch all of it. Luckily, a family friend offered to drive them back to Brick's apartment, and they stepped out of the car, tired and swaying. The moment they stopped inside, Jackle scattered to the washroom, and not a second later vomiting noises followed. While Jackle was heaving his stomach out, Brick went to change his cat's litter box. He was in there for a good 10 minutes before walking out with a face paler than the one that went in. Jackle walked into the room with a snap of his fingers, changing into sleeping clothes and flopping onto his mat. He knocked out the moment his face touched the pillow. Brick came back into the room after brushing his teeth, seeing Jackle sleeping like a dead body. He laid his blanket on top of him, it now being Brick's turn to take care of Jackle ever since he was sick that one time. He got into bed, too tired to remember to change into pyjamas, and passed out to the sound of his radio playing 'Sweet Caroline.'

12.10.2019