By the time he got back, Mel was talking with a friend at the table. "Well I don't know what to tell you, I'm telling you that was the sign and name. That he'd appreciate your art and look out for you. He wouldn't be what you'd expect... I mean there's always a chance there is someone else like that."

Mel nodded a bit. "It's fine. Really. We were technically mates so it's not like you lied. I'll be over it soon... once everything else is sorted. I'm just worried too because Lukas seemed mad when he left."

"Well dunno... I can try scrying his stuff but he's a demon so... oh he's here. Hey there. I'm Joy, Mel's BFF. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well... Hmm, may I call you Hazel? Your branches of influence spread wide and you are a place Songbird may return to..."

She nodded. "Of course. I rather like this one. Maybe you should date HIM." 

"Joy! Y-You can ignore her. She likes embarrassing me." 

"Only when you need to forget jerks and find someone new to make you happy. Lukas, you'd date her, wouldn't you?"

"Wouldn't that be her choice? Most find that dating a demon to not be worth the effort as it can become.... complicated in many cases."

"That wasn't what I was asking. She can't pick what she doesn't know is an option."

"Leave him alone... he wouldn't be interested anyway. Besides, he's trying to enjoy life here."

"Casual dating like what the other species do is always an option. True dating for a demon isn't as simple... It is more permanent than what other races do, even the really possessive ones. We can only do it once so we have to be entirely sure without any doubts..."

Mel muttered quietly under her breath. "Maybe that's what I should have done." 

Joy stopped and hugged her friend. "Shhhh... it's ok. It's ok Melody. You're a wonderful sweet, ball of sunshine. Everyone who meets you likes you. Why wouldn't they?"

"Because he's a piece of crap that doesn't even deserve a single thought from you. Plus he has less brain cells than a boiled potato... Would have offered him some intelligence in exchange for something out of pity, but he's too far in the negative for me to work with and I don't deal with impossible contracts."

Melody looked at the time. "Excuse me... I need to take the fabric out of the dye." She headed to the back while Joy looked at him. She was grinning.

 "Such strong words from a demon I think someone finds her cute... Should I see what she thinks about you? For something casual?"

"No. I do not wish to know.... Something casual is not my choice. Casual means through a contract... She would be paying me to be in a relationship... That is why dating demons is complicated."

Joy looked at him sadly. "That's a shame. Nice guy like you." She sighed. "I wish I knew how I screwed up my reading so badly.... Cain of the 18th star sign... of the dark fires... was supposed to be her mate. It's a rare sign! He should have been the one. Now I may have scared her off of dating for life. Ma was right I shouldn't butt into love affairs of friends I guess."

"Well, readings like that can be really fickle. You might be surprised how common those parameters actually are... If it was always what you expect, more people would use you guys' services."

Joy nodded a bit more, looking a bit sour. "Still I have a pretty high accuracy rating. I must have misread something....I'll try again and figure it out before I tell her, if I do at all." They could see her outside hanging up some more dyed fabrics. "Seriously though, she's a sweetie. Even without my help she'll find someone to be with I'm sure."

"I meant no offense, Hazel. Just that such predictions are easily misunderstood by those involved. Say there are ten people in her life that it fits... Only one is the right person, but it's very likely she'll think it's the first one she meets instead of the second or third..... Many who understand this would rather not have their judgement clouded by the knowledge."

"No don't be sorry or anything. I just... I feel bad. I avoid telling the person unless I'm sure telling them leads them on the right path to meeting their one true love. I checked the scry so many times. All of its branches. They all showed telling her at that moment would lead to her love.... I just don't know what I did wrong and now she's so hurt." She sighed. "At least I can be there for her. Honestly I wanted to have her stay with me than with some strangers but...it's working out." She turned to him, smiling sweetly. "That said, if you or Bob hurt her, I promise I'll hurt you so bad that hell's food will seem like a blessing of the gods and the torments down there like a freakin spa day...kay?"

"You are a good friend. I don't think you did anything wrong.... Sometimes... Sometimes what's best for a person and what makes them happy doesn't line up. There are times where becoming broken is the only way to become truly whole.... Maybe becoming hurt due to that person is what will lead her to the correct one."

"I hope so..." Mel came back in and they continued talking about random little things here and there before it was time for Joy to leave. She had a 'real hot one' coming by. After she left, Mel relaxed a bit, the smile fading. She hadn't wanted to worry her friend more than needed.

Mel looked at Lukas and looked uncomfortable for a moment. "...I'm sorry I upset you earlier... before you went to your job."

"You... aren't the reason I was upset. You didn't do anything wrong.... I just... You just never mentioned his name, okay? I know someone with the same name and..." Lukas gets a disgusted look on his face. "I don't like the idea of that name being associated with someone like him.... It's like finding out someone named their urinal the same thing as one of your family members."

Mel nodded a bit. "I suppose it would be. I just... I guess I'm surprised you're so upset over this. I never knew demons could be so kind about this sort of thing." She let out a slow breath. "I'm tired... I should go to the store and get some of the stuff I need for the week or I'm just going to be more tired tomorrow."

"Names are important to demons.... you would be upset if you found out your art was being used for something like murder right? Demons probably put more value in names than you do your art. To have one's name associated with anything unseemly is a great insult...."

Mel nodded a bit. "I can see that... I guess it's a bit harder for me to run into that."

"I'm sure with a name as lovely as yours, it's unlikely to happen to you. Now, you mentioned something about needing to do shopping? Did you want some help with that?"

"If you want to come along sure." She stood up and chuckled a bit. "And Melody isn't really my proper name...It's my 'society' name. Dad wanted goblin and halfling naming conventions respect, ma wanted elven and human... so my name is... awkward at best. And you have to sing it almost to say it right. Melody is just the registered business and standard ID name." She gathered her things. "My brother and sister lucked out. My brother came out looking very goblin so he was given a more traditional name and my sister... she looks like a miniaturized elf really."