"You should just get it over with.... It's just going to get worse the longer you put it off..." Lukas is lounging on a nearby tree branch as if he had been waiting for her to come home.

"I know... I just.... I was so sure... mating was supposed to be ... final for me." She slowly started making her way to the back yard. As soon as the scent was strong enough she paused and started to rush forward. She froze when she saw the dummy. Part of her wanted to forgive him, another part... She closed her eyes, tears coming out. He left her. He kicked her out. He took her home. He... She screamed and started attacking the dummy. The Gremlin had done a good job. The material was fake but ripped apart and broke the right way. By the time she was done you couldn't tell what it was originally, though his scent was everywhere. She knelt down, tears gone, staring at all of it. Desire was gone from her- at least for now- and was replaced with a mix of relief and sadness.

"There... Now isn't that a little better? He isn't worth the pain you put yourself through..."

“.... I don’t want to be alone...”

"Nobody does.... On some level, every creature wants at least one person by their side. I know it's not the same, but you aren't alone. You have Hazel, and the idiot wizard.... and me..."

She suddenly hugged him tightly, not knowing what else to do. It would be a lie to say it didn't take him by surprise but he quickly relaxes. He lightly hugs back.

“You showing up may be one of the best things that happens to me.”

"So accidentally summoning a demon is the highlight of your life? That sounds like something I would hear from a cultist...."

She looked at him, worried she offended. “No... I mean yes but not like that! I mean... meeting someone so kind and well meaning... that isn’t scared of... real me.”

"Hazel isn't scared of you...."

“She’s not scared of public me. She accepts I have to be like... this.” She waves to the mess. “But she can’t handle being around it. Almost no one can.”

He seems a bit confused. "Why? It is part of who you are... It's not like you hurt anyone, so why shy away?"

“Because it’s scary. A reminder that I could do the same to anyone else. She does her best but watching it is... different”

"But you wouldn't. Everyone has the potential power to harm others, so what makes you any different? You realize how dangerous you could become and go out of your way to make sure you don't hurt anyone. That's not scary, it's... beautiful."

She blushed a bit. “Thanks... it’s just the reminder. The fact I look different, less human. I mean they are a prey and hunter species... so I don’t blame them. “ she got up. “Come on, we should have something to eat....”

"Okay." Lukas grins. "Food time, then I have to go to work."

She chuckled. “If you ever get married you’ll need to find a full time cook for a spouse”

"Hmm... It's something to consider, but if one is going to spend their whole life with someone, there are more important factors. Food can come from many sources but there are things that only one person can do for you..."

Mel nodded and smiled. “Yeah. You need someone you can talk to... solve things with... understand each other well or at least try... odds on kids and how to raise them...” she looked down a bit sad. “It can be hard to find those things sometimes”

"Sometimes it feels impossible. Every time it seems like someone is the one, the doubts about if it's the right choice starts creeping in..."

She nodded a bit. “And Joy was so sure... Cain seemed nice enough until he saw the rest of my family.” She sighed. “I wish I had realized before mating with him...”

"Did Hazel...? Did she tell you it was him specifically or did he just fit her description?"

"He fit the description pretty well... but maybe she was wrong."

"Not necessarily wrong... Just isn't how you expected it. I'm positive that you will still find someone who actually makes you happy.... one that doesn't only take and take from you."

She nodded a bit. "I just... I want to find someone I can do nice things for... I don't mind providing. It makes me happy. But doing things together too would be nice." She smiled. "Like doing the dyes or art... they don't have to be good at it, just willing to have some fun... but maybe I'm being selfish."

"Definitely not. A life partner should be just that, a partner. It doesn't matter what it's called; spouse, mate, soul-bound; you should enjoy spending time together, doing things together... sharing your whole life with each other... What's the point of spending your whole life tied to someone you don't enjoy being with?"

Mel looked to him with a warm smile, genuinely meaning it. "I hope you find someone like that Lukas." She got inside and stretched a bit. "It'll be awhile before I can even look though... if this worked I'll be unable to take a mate for at least 6 months."

"How long until you know if it worked?"

"As long as a week or so... it's not going to help I have to pay the mortgage to keep my business. But if I can keep my head clear about him then I'll be ok." She let out a breath. "Thankfully my mother agreed to deal with his family for me. He's making it sound like I left him and she's explaining how that's biologically impossible."

"That's good." Lukas nods his head. "Get through this week then see where go from there..."

Mel nodded as she got some things out, mostly meats and other animal products. "So.. how's the other job going?"

He shrugs. "I do a good job and make money for it.... There’s not much to be said about it."

"Well yeah but do you LIKE it?" She started cooking things on the stove, mixing some other things with it. She looked happy making it. "I think it's important to have work you like."

"...I don't hate the work and I like the pay, so I guess that equals out to me leaning towards liking it...? I've never really considered if I actually like the work I do... I guess I usually do at least a little? But the payment has always been the main draw for me..."

"I suppose that makes sense." The food was quickly finished and put on plates. Most would think it was half raw and smelled off. "I promise it's safe to eat... feeling like goblin style food today."

"I'm not worried about that." Lukas grins wide enough to see some of his sharpened teeth. "There are very few things that aren't safe for demons to eat... Anything safe for you is probably also going to be safe for me. Except blessed food. Blessed food gives me indigestion..."

She looked and blushed for a moment before going to get some drinks. "Well it's also not considered tasty by a lot... most people view it as slash it, impatient cooking and roll it on a rock. It's more complicated than that... though my grandmother does have a favorite rock to beat the food on before cooking it." While facing away she touched her teeth a moment, wondering if her smile looked that nice to him...

"Well, I said I wanted to try something new and it looks delicious."

As they ate the conversation drifted to her job and things going on. "..so I'm hoping to keep the kiosk open a while longer before trying for a proper store."

"Well, that sounds like a good plan. Have you had any luck with getting any employees? If you're going to have a proper store, you'll need more merchandise in stock. That'll be easier to do if you don't have to maintain the shop at the same time..."

"That's the problem. I don't have enough stock to sell and I don't have enough cash for employees. Even if I wasn't paying the stupid mortgage by myself..." she huffed a bit. "I just... I just need to stay cool until I can do it. It just may take longer is all..."

"I can take a few shifts in exchange for food so you have more time to make things if you want... Then you can build up a larger stock to sell when you are running it."

"I hate to take advantage of your kindness Luk.... You've done a lot for me already. Even if it is small deals."

He snorts. "Don't let the wizard hear you call it 'kindness', pretty sure he still suspects I'm trying to take advantage of you.... I mean, he's not exactly wrong. All the small deals I make, makes it easier for me to stay, which is what I want. And your well being staying in high standings means we're both less tempted to make a deal that we'd regret..."

She looked down a bit. "I guess that's true. I wish you could stay without all that trouble. You don't want to be down there, you want to be up here."

"There is a way, but it's... possibly even more complicated than this. It can also be risky for me."

Mel nodded. "Well... when you feel comfortable trying it, let me know. Maybe I can help. No promises." She smiled a bit. "Don't want to make an accidental deal you have to stick with right?"

"Thanks, but... I don't know if I'll ever do it. It's... something I'd have to do myself, no one can help me."

She put her hand on his. "But I can offer support if nothing else."

"If I decide to do it." He stares at their hands. "... and if we are still in each other's lives... What even is your expected lifespan? The different species that you have genes from all have differing lifespans... So where does yours fall?"

"We.... don't talk about it much. I try to take good care of myself. Goblins and orcs live to be 50 in good conditions, elves hundreds of years, humans 70, halflings 150... I grew at a rate between goblins and humans... reaching 'adulthood' at 12, but I've stayed stagnant in how I look for the last 20. I could be in my midlife, or I could be still a child. I could even be a year away from passing." She smiled a bit to him, trying to comfort him. "It's fine though... I'll live what I live. At least I'll know I did my best to be me."

"That's a very positive way of looking at it... Demons have some of the longest lifespans so we don't care about the passage of time as much in regards to age... Our 'age' is based on our rank. The higher rank one achieves, the 'older' they are."

She looked like she was going to say something else and noticed the time. "You need to get to work. Take care!"

"Oh, you're right." He pats her head as he brushes past, as if he doesn't even notice that he's doing it. "Well, call Hazel or the wizard if anything comes up. I'll try to be back at a reasonable time tonight...."

Mel nodded and watched him leave. She finished her meal. “Well.... might be best if I go sleep for now....” She cleaned everything up and looked at the door. “He really is nice....”