Chapter 10: Chaos Goblin

The constant failures, the constant feelings of failure—it was all too much for the little demoness. Every plan she tried to come up with to push Cassie away seemed to backfire. She had spent so much time trying to be the perfect “bad girlfriend,” trying to be a demon of darkness, a terror in the night, and all she had achieved was becoming more and more affectionate with the human she was supposed to be terrifying.

And then there was Cassie. So kind. So patient. So... unfazed by Briar's many attempts to push her away. Briar couldn’t take it anymore. She needed to be honest, to lay everything bare.

If Cassie knew how truly terrible Briar was at being a demon, surely she’d lose interest. Surely this time, Cassie would finally understand that Briar wasn’t the dark, mysterious creature she’d made herself out to be.

And so, Briar stood in the middle of the living room, hands on her hips, facing Cassie with an air of determination.

“Cassie,” Briar began, trying to sound serious. “I need to tell you something.”

Cassie looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s up?”

Briar exhaled, gathering all her courage. “I’m... I’m a terrible demon.”

Cassie blinked in confusion. “What?”

Briar’s posture slumped a little as she tried to continue. “Look, I’m terrible at this whole ‘evil thing.’ I’ve been trying to be some kind of terrifying, intimidating force, but the truth is, I don’t even do real evil stuff.” She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “Like, one time, my idea of a ‘cursed object’ was a pair of socks that always get lost in the laundry. That’s it. A pair of socks.”

Cassie stared at her, blinking slowly as if she hadn’t quite processed what Briar had said. “Wait, that’s your idea of a cursed object?”

Briar groaned, sinking onto the couch in frustration. “Yeah! And another time, I hexed some guy’s phone so that it would always land screen-down when he dropped it. You know, like… the opposite of a screen protector. That’s literally all I’ve done as a demon.”

Cassie stared at her for a long moment, her mouth hanging slightly open. Then, unexpectedly, she burst into laughter.

“Oh my god, you’re kidding, right?” Cassie gasped between fits of giggles. “That’s hilarious! You’re like a chaotic little goblin!”

Briar’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she folded her arms across her chest, groaning inwardly. “I’m not trying to be funny, Cassie! I’m trying to be—evil. You’re supposed to be scared of me!”

Cassie continued to laugh, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Briar, you’re just... you’re just too cute to be scary. You don’t even know how to be bad! You’re like a little gremlin running around causing minor inconveniences.”

Briar groaned again, hiding her face in her hands. “I can’t believe I just confessed that to you.”

But Cassie wasn’t done. She dropped her phone on the couch beside her, slid closer to Briar, and threw her arms around her in a tight hug.

“Aw, Briar,” Cassie said, her voice warm and affectionate. “That’s actually so adorable.” She squeezed tighter. “I mean, you’re still a demon and everything, but... I don’t think you’re terrible. You’re just... you. And I kind of love that about you.”

Briar froze, her body stiff from the sudden closeness. She had been expecting ridicule, maybe even anger. Instead, Cassie was hugging her. And calling her adorable.

“Cassie…” Briar muttered, still too stunned to move. “You’re not… angry? Or terrified?”

Cassie pulled back just enough to look Briar in the eyes, smiling warmly. “Why would I be scared of you, Briar? You’re kind of perfect the way you are.”

Briar blinked, feeling her heart rate increase for entirely different reasons. “I’m perfect?”

Cassie grinned, clearly enjoying the way Briar was flustered. “Yeah. You might not be great at being evil, but you’re great at being you. And honestly, I like the way you are. Chaos, socks, hexing phones—it’s all kind of charming.”

Briar, unable to take it anymore, let out an exasperated groan. “Ugh! Stop making me feel things!” She buried her face in Cassie’s shoulder, half in frustration, half in something that might have been affection, but she couldn’t quite tell.

Cassie chuckled softly, her fingers gently running through Briar’s hair. “You’re just a big softie, aren’t you?”

Briar didn’t answer. She just melted into the hug, groaning helplessly as she buried her face deeper into Cassie’s shoulder. Cassie’s warmth was so comforting, and Briar felt completely, utterly defeated. She had tried so hard to push Cassie away, to make her see how terrible she was as a demon, but instead, Cassie had only pulled her closer.

Cassie’s voice broke through her spiraling thoughts, her tone quiet and tender. “You’re not terrible, Briar. You’re just… you.” She gave Briar a gentle squeeze. “And I think that’s perfect.”

Briar sighed, letting herself relax into the hug despite the growing ache in her chest. “You’re impossible,” she mumbled, but there was no venom in her words.

Cassie smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Briar’s head. “I know. But that’s why you like me, right?”

Briar didn’t answer right away. She just closed her eyes and let the moment wash over her. Maybe she wasn’t the demon she thought she was supposed to be. Maybe she was terrible at being evil, maybe she was a mess of chaotic, half-baked plans and awkward attempts at intimidation. But in that moment, with Cassie’s arms around her, Briar realized—maybe that was exactly what Cassie loved about her.

And honestly? She could live with that.

“Yeah,” Briar whispered, a small, genuine smile tugging at her lips. “I guess I do.”