we all have our demons
There was a strange silence filling the room. Lorelai’s Eyes narrowed and bewilderment was visible on her face. “Steve?” she asked and the undertone in her voice accused me of lying. “Yeah, what about it? His ideas sounded all stupid” I answered trying to shrug away her incomprehension. Steve used that moment to chip in: “Well, he didn’t like Dantalion.” I waved my hand at Steve and said: “That’s not really helping. And it sounds like Ant-a-Lion.” This didn’t sit well with him, and he stated: “You could’ve used a French Accent, that would’ve sounded way better.” “SHUT UP!” Lorelai shouted at me and Steve. She groaned in frustration and mumbled: “Why me?” Steve wanted to reply something but I cut him off. He still commented under his breath: “I just wanted to say I could ask in Hell to see who dunnit. But ok.” I gave him a nasty look and warned: “You are not helping Ant-a-lion!”
We gave Lorelai some time to collect herself but after just a minute she summarized: “Ok. So you are cursed and followed by a demon? A Demon called Steve? And you tell me this on our third date? I thought you wanted to tell me something about erectile dysfunction. Or, or - that you are gay! Not that you had a literal demon.” My ego took some hard hits there but I conceded that wanting to tell her of a problem with my little demon wasn’t my brightest ideas. I decided to soldier on: “Look. I know it is strange looking at him and seeing a different visage every time but you get used to it. He is quite harmless.” Steve exclaimed noisily and protested: “Hey! I’m a great and mighty Duke of Hell. I know all thoughts of all men and women and change them however I like!”. “Or, so he proclaims” I added to cut him off.
Lorelai grabbed her Jacket and turned to leave. I quickly took a step in her direction and pleaded: “Please don’t leave. Just think of him as a roommate? This was the earliest I could’ve told you my little secret. When we spent that evening talking about mummies I knew you were the one for me.” This struck at least some accord with her, she looked at the floor and then in my eyes. She sighed and struggled with her resolve. I put on my most sincere puppy gaze in hopes of winning her over but it made her snort in amusement instead. “But how?” Lorelai finally asked while throwing her jacket back onto a chair and letting herself fall down on my couch. “I dunno. He suddenly was there.” I tried to avoid the question.
Steve didn’t let me, he was over joyous to explain: “He found a nice black book in the basement. Someone had written many warnings and curses on it. And even put it in an old plastic tupper box with a mousetrap on top so no one would play with it.” He stopped for dramatic purposes and I tried to look at nothing. Especially not Lorelais face. Steve continued: “He somehow managed to decipher the old language but not enough of it to completely summon me.” I nodded with a sigh and finished for him: “I borked the ritual, and he’s now stuck with me. Hell doesn’t help him with this because, well. They are the devils people and are somewhat happy to not have to deal with him anymore.”
I looked at her. The anger was gone from her face which made me feel a bit easier. “Alright. We can keep dating. I kinda dig the honesty. You sound stupid but at least sincere.” she said more to herself than to me. Sitting down beside her I mentioned: “Speaking about Honesty. Maybe I should also tell you about the Ghost of the House?” Steve added: “Don’t forget the Monster under the Stairs and the Undead Badger that haunts your garbage cans.” Lorelai slowly turned to me and anger started to color her cheeks red. I lifted my hands in defense: “They are surprisingly nice once you get to know them. Especially Badger Bruno!”
This was a response to a Writing Prompt: [WP] We all have our demons… mine just has a name.
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