His Emerald Eyes

There's No Place Like Home

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

Recap

Hesitantly Tom reaches up and takes the Demon King's hand. The second he does all the shadows in the room rush over and engulfs both of them. Tom only has enough time to blink before the shadows are receding away from them to reveal Tom's living room. Letting go of the arch angel's hand Tom looks around, everything is exactly how he left it five months ago. He turns to thank King Lucifer but when he looks back the Demon King is already gone. Tom is left there alone in his fancy dress clothes and emerald collar, the diamond leash dangling on the floor. 

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1 year later

Tom opens the door to his house and steps inside, letting the door swing closed behind him. Sighing heavily, he toes off his shoes and hangs up his jacket. He then makes his way out of his mudroom. The second he enters the rest of the house he hears it.

"Meoow"

A soft smile plants itself on his lips at the sight of his tubby cat Milo slowly making his way towards him. Stooping down Tom scoops up his cat in his arms and carries him to the living room couch where he proceeds to plop himself down on, positioning Milo so he sits in his lap.

"How you been buddy?" Tom asks his cat as he strokes his back, a deep rumble erupts from Milo as he starts to purr. "You aren't in any pain, are you?" Tom begins poking at his cat's joints to test them, watching carefully for Milo's reactions. When Tom starts prodding at Milo's back legs the purr cuts off abruptly.

"YEEOWERRR!!!" Milo yells out in discomfort and distress. He whips his head around, yellow eyes narrowed with judgment and annoyance glare up at Tom.

Tom, who had removed his hands the second Milo cried out, stares back at his cat with guilt shown all over his face. "I'm sorry Milo, I didn't mean to hurt you." His hand reaches down to begin scratching Milo behind his ears, his favorite spot to be scratched. Soon Milo stops glaring and rests his head between his paws. Tom takes this as his apology being accepted and resumes his stroking of Milo's back, now though his heart feels a bit heavier.

Staring ahead blankly Tom thinks back on why he has to check Milo's joints for discomfort. Milo is no longer the young kitten he had gotten all those years ago. He is a seventeen-year-old cat whose time is coming to a close soon.

'It's not fair!' Tom thinks angrily. 'He was only eleven when Clauneck took me! Why does time move faster in the human world than it does in the Netherworld! I was gone for five months, not five fucking years!'

Tom takes a deep breath through clenched teeth as he pulls Milo closer to him. The cat stiffens slightly but otherwise remains asleep. Once he is calm again Tom lets his mind drift as he continues to stroke Milo. He thinks back to what he did after King Lucifer returned him to the human world.

~ Flashback ~

Tom stands there in the middle of his silent living room, still trying to wrap his head around what just transpired. The spell that King Lucifer had placed on him was still working so everything seems so surreal. Looking around again with disbelieving eyes but still finding no demons or archangels Tom feels something bubble up from his chest. A breathily giggle escapes his lips which then turns into uncontrollable laughter.

"I'm back. I'm back home, in the human world." Tears of joys gather at his eyes as he throws his arms up in the air. "I'M FREE!"

Suddenly a foul odor assaults his nostrils. Turning his head to the side he takes a cautionary sniff and immediately regrets it. "Whoof I stink!"