Nathan pulls up to a car dealership, India staring out the window with the wonder and excitement of a 6 year old seeing a fire truck for the first time. A car salesperson greets them with a beaming smile. They were dressed in blue flannel over a white tee, acid-washed jeans, and tan boat shoes. Who in their right mind wears boat shoes? Nathan thinks to himself.
Their teeth are pearly white and sparkle in the sunlight. “How can I help you two today?”
“I’m looking for a car,” India says. “Literally anything that works is great.”
The salesperson tsks, as if wondering if they actually have any functioning cars, which is quite worrying to be thinking at a car dealership. “I think I might have some things in your budget range.”
“I never said anything about a-” The salesperson cuts him off.
“Follow me.”
The salesperson leads India and Nathan further into the lot. India’s eyes land on a blood red Buggy and he immediately wants it.
“Can I get the red one?” India asks Nathan.
“The Buggy? Yeah, if you have the money,” Nathan says.
“Oh yeah of course. I have money.” He leans over to Nathan and whispers, “That’s the paper stuff with the people on it, right?”
Nathan laughs. “Yeah, I guess you could put it that way. There’s also the plastic cards.”
India leaves Nathan behind in the lot while he goes to pay for the Buggy. Nathan notices some strange noises from the trunk of the car, but he doesn’t think much of it. Weirder things have happened to him in cars.
~
Cherry wanders around her farm, checking up on the flowers and vegetables she’s been growing before going back to work. Hecate is busy saying goodbye to the dragons, so she’s all alone with her thoughts. Her mind is quiet for once, the noise of her thoughts being drowned out by the songs from the western winds and the singing birds, the grass beneath her feet and the crunching of shoes on pebbles.
Wait… those footsteps sound familiar, Cherry thinks to herself. She looks up and standing there is Riley. They smile at her.
“Hey, was just coming to make sure you guys would get back to the shop in time. Sorry we don’t have more staff, but y’know how it is here.” Riley shrugs.
Cherry nods. “It’s ok dude, we really don’t mind. It’s fun working with you guys.” She swallows the lie like a bitter pill. Yes, she loves her friends. They’ve been together since they were seven, but she’d rather be out there, doing what she wants than in the book shop, wasting away. But Riley’s her best friend, and she knows how much the book shop means to them. So she’ll stick around until they find enough staff. That’s what she’s promised, and she plans to keep it.
Hecate emerges from the barn and smiles at Riley. “Hey,” she says, walking up to them and kissing them on the cheek.
“Hi, honey. You both ready to head back to shop?” they ask.
Hecate sighs. “I guess so. Cherry, be sure to remind the dragons I love them when you get home tonight, ok?”
Cherry laughs. “Alright, I will. If you tell your fishes that I love them.”
~
After unpacking, India stares up at his ceiling. He’s bored. He’s never been by himself before. He was always used to doing… something. And while those somethings weren’t always great, they kept him busy. Kept his mind occupied. Arizona was boring, but at least he had friends there. Now he’s just alone again. He contemplates going over to Nathan’s but he doesn’t want to be a bother. But also, he wants company. The vampire struck him as odd at first, but now he seems a lot more endearing. Still odd, and honestly a little troubling but India just wants to learn more about him. So despite his instinct, he grabs a pull over hoodie and heads outside.
For a little bit, he just stands on his porch, watching Nathan sitting in his rocking chair, throwing a baseball up, then catching it, repeating the action over and over again. India cocks his head to the side, fascinated by the action. He decides to just screw his instincts and walks over to Nathan’s porch. Nathan smiles at him and waves in greeting.
“Hey, India. How’s it?” His eyes are like honey in the sun’s glow, his smile seeming to sparkle. India shields his eyes from the sunlight.
“I was feeling bored and thought you could use some company,” India says, taking a seat neck to Nathan on his porch swing.
Nathan’s smile somehow seems to grow. “If you ever feel bored and you need company, you’re free to come over anytime you’d like. Just knock and I’ll let you in.”
“I don’t need anything. But thanks.” India leans his back against the swing and starts pushing it back and forth. This knocks Nathan off balance, causing him to slip forward onto the porch ground (a deck?). India puts his hand against his mouth to keep from laughing but his attempt is in vain and he busts out laughing, Nathan joining him.
“Sorry,” India says, still laughing. He offers his hand to Nathan and pulls him up.
“Jesus, you’re strong,” Nathan notes, inspecting the arm he fell on.
India shrugs. “I guess so. I mean, I’m not human. Compared to a lot of celestials I’m weak.”
Nathan stares at him, waiting to see if it’s a joke.
“Anyway,” India chirps, “sorry again for knocking you off the swing.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Nathan assures him.
Suddenly they hear clanking coming from the trunk of India’s new car. The door pops off and out climbs a spindly, inky creature. Its arms and legs are long and slender with knife-like fingers and toes. Shooting out of its head are long, jagged horns and its eyes are milk white circles, contrasting with the ink black of its goopy skin. It turns to focus on India and Nathan, its goop getting on some of India’s car. It turns its focus away and starts heading into town.
“FUCK MY CAR!” India shouts. “Oh, I guess also that the monster is going towards town. That’s bad too.”
Nathan frantically gets his keys out of his pocket. “We gotta hurry if we want to stop that thing,” he says.
“We?? What do you mean we???” India asks, looking at Nathan confused.
“Well, it came out of your car and you don’t want it to destroy anything do you?”
India shrugs. “I guess not. Alright, let’s go.”
~
Riley is just closing up shop as they see a tall, goopy monster walking towards them. They sigh. “HECATE!” they yell. “There’s some weird monster out here again!”
Hecate comes around the corner, holding a box that says free puppy. “A what now?” She looks from Riley to the street and notices. “Oh. Got it. Big scary monster. Great.” She hands the box to Riley and pulls out her spell book. “Iâ,” she says as she draws a circle in the air. A beam of ice shoots at the monster but the goop just absorbs it. “Tân!” The demand in her voice fuels the fire but it doesn’t seem to work. “Well I tried.” She closes her book and puts it back in her bag.
“What’s even in this box?” Riley asks, inspecting it.
“Read the side.”
“A DOG?!”
“No, of course not stupid.” Riley sighs with relief. “It’s a puppy.”
“THAT’S NOT ANY BETTER!”
“Well what did you want me to do? Just leave it there?”
“Well no! But we can’t take care of a dog!” Riley exclaims.
“I can,” a voice says. Riley turns around fast and sighs with relief when it’s just Nathan. Oh wait, it's Nathan. They jump back, startled.
“What’re you doing here? And what the hell is that guy doing?” Hecate gestures to India who’s currently leviatting in the air, battling the inky monster with nothing but a sword.
“Well that guy is India. And that monster came out of the trunk of his car. So now we’re trying to defeat it. Also about the dog, I can take care of them. My curse doesn’t apply to animals, just non-divine bipeds. Like you guys.” He shrugs. “So, can I have the dog or are you scared they’re gonna burst into flames, too?”
Riley sighs and hands the box to Nathan. “Just be careful with the dog, please.”
“Don’t worry I will. We had dogs when I was a kid. Anyway, I gotta go fight an inky blob, bye.” He runs off with the box and both Riley and Hecate facepalm.
Suddenly, a shrill shriek rings throughout town and the ink monster explodes in a burst of light. India had pierced his sword through the creature’s chest and ripped it down the middle. He lands safely on the ground, black goop sticking to his arms and hair. “Ew,” he mumbles, wiping some of it off.
Cherry comes out of the bookshop, locking the door behind her. “Did I miss something?” she asks. She notices India and runs over to him. She admires the sword he holds. “How did you get a celestial sword? Those things are so hard to find.”
“Oh um… family heirloom?” he says, shrugging. While she’s not looking, the sword dissipates and reappears at India’s side in a sheath.
Cherry notices Nathan walking towards them, holding a small bernese mountain puppy. She tugs India to the side for a second. “Stay away from Nathan, ok? It’s safer for everyone.”
“Why?” India asks.
“He’s cursed. If you…” She trails off as she sees Nathan getting closer. “I have to go. Stay away from him, ok? We don’t need another Nathan-related incident.” She walks off with Riley and Hecate and gets into the car with them.
As Nathan approaches, beaming and holding a puppy, India steps back, scared of the vampire he was endeared by moments ago.
“What’s wrong?” Nathan’s smile drops.
“Why didn’t you tell me you’re cursed?” India asks, poised like he might have to run.
“Shit, that completely slipped my mind. When you told me you were a celestial, I knew my curse wouldn’t affect you and I meant to tell you, I swear but I forgot.” The puppy in his arms is panting happily, looking up at Nathan, then looking at India and whines, asking to be put down. Nathan listens to the request and the puppy trots over to India. The celestial flinches, panicking at first, confused by the four legged creature before him. But when the puppy rubs up against his legs, her tail wagging, he can’t help but be endeared by the small creature.
India kneels down to pet the puppy with his non-goop covered hand, smiling. “Do you forgive me?” Nathan asks, kneeling down to meet India’s sunflower coloured eyes.
“I suppose I can. Everyone forgets things. Though, if you don’t mind me asking, what did Cherry mean by ‘Nathan-related incident’?”
Nathan hefts the puppy into his arms again, kissing her on the forehead. “Let’s go back to my place before I tell you, ok?”
~
“I’ll get stuff for Bean tomorrow,” Nathan says as he locks his front door behind them.
“You named her Bean?” India asks.
“Mhm. Cuz the little eyebrows over her eyes.”
“Ah,” India says in understanding. “I don’t even know how to name things. Arcturus once asked me to name this plant they discovered and I decided to call it pussytoes.”
Nathan seems to choke on his laughter. “Seriously?! You’re the one to thank for that fucking hilarious plant name?”
“Wait, people actually call it that? I just thought it looked like cat feet.”
“Yeah, people call it that.”
“That’s funny.” The celestial sinks onto the sofa. “Anyway, tell me about this curse of yours.”
“Oh right. Just a sec.”
Nathan disappears down the hall and comes back wearing a navy blue sweater. “Sorry, I was feeling cold and my jean jacket wasn’t warm enough.” He sits next to India on the sofa and explains his curse.
“So, maybe one day I’ll tell you how I ended up like this. But basically, it affects anyone who’s a non-divine biped. So if you’re a divine being and/or have more than two legs, you’re safe from my curse. If you’re not and you get too close to me… like relationship wise… you’ll basically die.”
“Oh. That sucks. Lucky for me I’m a divine being. So I can be your friend if you want that.”
Nathan smiles. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
~
When India gets home, he falls back onto his bed, exhausted. Exhaustion is his least favourite feeling. When he was still immortal, he never had to bother with exhaustion. He could just sleep because he wanted to. But now, sleep is required and it’s annoying. Gabriel’s gonna be pissed at me for using my sword. But what-fucking-ever. Let that angel be pissed. I just hope he doesn’t lose his wings because of me.
He closes his eyes and lets sleep claim him.
~
Riley runs their hands over their face. Hecate is asleep in their shared room. She probably thinks Riley is still sleeping next to her. But they’re not. They’re stressing over bills and taxes and all those annoying things that come with being an adult in a capitalist society. The kitchen light flickers a few times before going back to its steady hum and consistent lighting.
~
Just as Cherry is finishing watering her plants, she hears a knock on her door. She opens it and Andrew is on her doorstep with a… demon? Angel?
“Hey Chilali, is it ok if I stay here for the night? Maxxie here needs a place to sleep and my tent isn’t big enough for both of us but he doesn’t want me to leave him alone,” Andrew says.
Cherry sighs. “Alright, c’mon in. Just don’t cause a mess, ok?”
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