Chapter 12: Not That Terrible

Summer had arrived in full force, and the weather was perfect: the sun was high, the sky was a flawless shade of blue, and the salty breeze carried the scent of the ocean. Cassie had been planning for weeks to take Briar somewhere she had never been—the beach. Briar, of course, wasn’t entirely thrilled about the idea, but Cassie was insistent. This wasn’t just about sunshine and sand; it was about giving Briar a taste of the human experience, something that had never really appealed to the demon before.

The day started with a casual breakfast in their tiny kitchen, both of them nursing mugs of coffee. Briar had been pouting a little since she woke up, her arms crossed as she stared at Cassie with a mix of curiosity and mild apprehension.

“Are you really sure about this?” Briar asked, eyeing Cassie suspiciously over the rim of her cup. “I mean, I’m a demon. Sunlight doesn’t exactly work well with my vibe.”

Cassie raised an eyebrow and gave her a playful grin. “You’re not exactly going to melt in the sun, Briar. You’ve been around for centuries. I’m sure you can handle a little sunshine.”

Briar leaned back, folding her arms even tighter. “Yeah, but why do I need to be exposed to it? It’s just sand and water and overhyped tourist traps. You can’t even get a good cup of coffee out there.”

“Oh, I’m not taking you to one of those tourist-y spots,” Cassie said, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “I’ve got a perfect spot in mind. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.”

Briar let out a long sigh. “Fine, fine. But I’m not wearing any... swimwear, if that’s what you’re planning.”

Cassie’s smile only grew wider as she grabbed the sunscreen. “Don’t worry. We can keep it casual. I’ll help you get ready. You’ll see, you might actually enjoy it.”

The beach was about a thirty-minute drive from their apartment, and as they arrived, Cassie could practically hear Briar’s low, exaggerated groan from the passenger seat. Briar had her arms folded tightly, her sunglasses hiding her eyes, and she seemed like she was preparing for some grand existential crisis as they walked toward the beach.

But Cassie wasn’t bothered. She had picked this spot precisely because it was quiet—far away from crowds and the typical tourist madness. This was a hidden stretch of beach that locals frequented, where the soft waves lapped lazily against the shore, and the only sounds were the gentle swoosh of the sea and the occasional cry of a gull. Perfect.

“Cassie,” Briar said, voice laced with sarcasm as she stepped onto the sand. “I just want to point out that I have better things to do than get sand stuck in awkward places. Also, I don’t need to wear sunscreen. I’m a demon, not a lobster.”

Cassie giggled. “Just because you’re a demon doesn’t mean you’re immune to sunburns, Briar.”

Briar raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue as Cassie spread the towel on the sand and sat down. “Okay, okay. But I’m not getting in the water,” Briar huffed. “Not a fan of saltwater. It gets everywhere.”

“Good, that means more space for me to swim!” Cassie grinned and stood up, shrugging off her cover-up before dashing toward the waves.

Briar stared after her, rolling her eyes. “Ridiculous mortal.” But even as she muttered it, she couldn’t help but watch Cassie, her heart giving a strange little lurch at how free she looked. The way she ran, the way the sun glinted off her hair... It made Cassie seem even more alive than usual, as though she belonged to this world in a way that Briar never could.

Before she could think too much about it, Cassie turned back to look at her, and with a mischievous grin, waved her over. “Come on, Briar! The water’s amazing!”

Briar flinched, clearly unamused. “I’m good here, thanks.”

“Chicken,” Cassie teased, her grin never fading as she splashed a little water in Briar’s direction.

Briar jumped back in mock surprise, but then—just to prove a point—she stood up, her eyes narrowing. “Fine. You want me in the water? I’ll show you a thing or two.”

Cassie laughed but didn’t expect what happened next. With a snap of Briar’s fingers, the water responded. The waves churned, rising higher and swirling more dramatically. Briar lifted her hands, manipulating the sea with ease, creating an almost ethereal scene. The water danced and glimmered, rippling around them as if it had its own mind.

Cassie stood, her eyes wide with amazement. “Whoa. You can do that?”

Briar smirked, her usual confidence returning. “I mean, I am a demon. I can do more than just hex socks.”

Cassie’s jaw dropped. “That’s... honestly so cool! Can you make it look like a giant water dragon?”

Briar raised an eyebrow at her. “You want a water dragon?”

“Yes! Like one of those cool mythical creatures, but made of water!” Cassie’s voice was full of glee.

Briar took a moment to consider. “You humans and your… whimsical requests.” She sighed dramatically before summoning the water once again, this time shaping it into the form of a towering dragon. It rose from the waves with a massive splash, its body made entirely of fluid, glowing with an almost ethereal light.

Cassie let out a delighted cheer, running toward it as the water dragon circled around her in a graceful arc. “This is amazing!” She reached out to touch it, her hand grazing the water dragon’s shimmering tail, and Briar watched, feeling something strange—something she couldn’t quite name—stir in her chest.

She stood there for a moment, contemplating. She hadn’t realized it until now, but she did like seeing Cassie this happy. The way Cassie’s face lit up, her laughter mixing with the sound of the waves, the way she looked as though she was a part of the ocean, part of something much bigger than them both.

Briar felt herself step forward, compelled by an unfamiliar warmth. Without thinking, she reached out and gently tapped the water dragon’s snout, watching it ripple under her touch. Cassie’s delighted squeal rang in her ears, but this time, it wasn’t just about her creating a cool thing for Cassie. It was about being there, in the moment, with her.

“Alright, alright,” Briar said, crossing her arms but feeling lighter than before. “I’ll admit it. This wasn’t so bad.”

Cassie turned to look at her, her smile wide and radiant as she splashed her way over. “See? I told you the beach was fun.”

Briar sighed, though there was a softness to it now. “I still think it’s a waste of time. But... I could get used to this, I guess.”

Cassie stood right in front of her, her eyes sparkling. “You’re saying you might want to do this again sometime?”

Briar glanced away for a second, trying not to let the blush creep up her cheeks. “Maybe.”

Cassie smiled even wider, stepping closer. “Well, when you’re ready for round two, I’m totally down.”

Briar looked at her and, for the first time, felt that maybe—just maybe—she was glad to be here, in this moment, with Cassie. “Yeah,” she said quietly, “me too.”

And for the first time in a long time, Briar didn’t mind the sun or the sand or the water. What she really didn’t mind was the way Cassie made everything feel just a little bit more... real.

And that, Briar thought as she reached for Cassie’s hand, was worth more than anything.

It was a Saturday afternoon when Cassie decided it was time to go shopping.

Briar had been living with Cassie for a few months now, and while she’d slowly adjusted to the basic aspects of human life—food, showers, not summoning demons to wreak havoc—there was still one major obstacle: her wardrobe.

And by “wardrobe,” Briar meant a small collection of black leather jackets, a few overly dramatic cloaks, and one very questionable pair of pants that she swore were “fashion-forward” back in the Underworld. They were, in Briar’s mind, perfectly fine, but Cassie had other ideas.

“So, we’re going shopping today,” Cassie said brightly, standing in the doorway of the living room, wearing her usual easygoing smile. “I think it’s time we update your wardrobe. You’ve been wearing the same thing since… I dunno, forever?”

Briar rolled her eyes from the couch. “It’s called style, Cassie. It’s timeless.”

Cassie grinned. “Yeah, well, it’s also a little… dramatic. How about we get you some clothes that make you look like a normal human for once?”

Briar scoffed. “Normal? Normal? Oh, please, I’m a demon, not some… mall rat. What do I even need ‘normal’ clothes for?”

“You might be a demon, but you’re living here now, and you can at least look cute while doing it,” Cassie teased. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

Briar’s tail flicked nervously behind her. There was something about the word cute that made her feel… strange. But she wasn’t going to admit that to Cassie. Not yet.

“I’m only doing this because you’re annoying,” Briar muttered, standing up reluctantly. “Fine, let’s go shop.”

An hour later, Briar was standing in the middle of a brightly lit store, looking like she was being held captive. Cassie, on the other hand, was practically bouncing with excitement as she held up various items of clothing, chattering nonstop about how cute they would look on Briar.

“Look at this one! It’s so your style—just, like, without the hellish edge, you know?” Cassie said, holding up a pair of tight black jeans with a studded waistband.

Briar eyed the jeans suspiciously. “Tight pants? I can barely move in these things. What’s next? Spandex? Is that even… breathable?”

“It's stretchy!” Cassie said, practically shoving the pants at Briar. “Come on, just try them on. Trust me. You’ll look amazing.”

Briar groaned but eventually grabbed the jeans and stomped into the fitting room. She’d made it through a few rounds of similarly ridiculous clothes—floral blouses, skirts that were “too short to be legal” by Briar’s standards, and tops that felt like they could fit an entire family inside them. Now, she was staring at these jeans with a sigh, wondering how in the world Cassie could stand shopping for hours on end.

But… as she slipped them on, she couldn’t help but notice the way they actually felt kind of… good. Not too tight, but snug in a way that made her feel more shapely than she expected. When she stepped out of the fitting room, Cassie’s eyes lit up.

“Oh my god,” Cassie said, practically bouncing on her feet. “You look so good! See? I told you these were perfect for you!”

Briar stood there, arms crossed, trying to maintain her usual aloof demeanor, but inside, something warm flared up in her chest. She didn’t want to admit it, but Cassie’s praise made her feel… seen. Like she wasn’t just a demon wandering around in an overly dramatic outfit for attention.

“Yeah, well, I’m only wearing these because you told me to,” Briar said with a slight roll of her eyes, trying to hide the blush creeping up her neck. “And I’m definitely not going to wear them for anyone else.”

Cassie laughed. “Sure, sure, whatever. But they look so good on you, Briar. You should wear them more often.”

Briar just muttered under her breath. “You’re impossible. But, I guess… they don’t feel that bad.”

Cassie grinned like she’d won a battle, which, in her mind, she definitely had. “See? I knew you’d come around.”

They spent the next few hours picking out clothes, with Briar grudgingly trying on things that Cassie insisted would bring out her inner human charm. But it wasn’t all bad—there were a few moments where Briar would look in the mirror and actually like what she saw. For a demon who had only ever been used to the oppressive gloom of the Underworld, the softness of human fabrics and the simple joy of choosing clothes based on comfort and practicality was… new.

After a while, Briar found herself in front of the mirror once again, this time holding up a simple black hoodie with a band logo on it. She thought it looked casual enough to fit her style, but still human enough not to be entirely demon-ish.

Cassie, standing beside her, nodded approvingly. “Okay, I’m officially in love with this. You look like a normal person.”

Briar took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. There was a hint of hesitation in her gaze before she finally let out a long exhale. “You know what, Cassie? I actually like this one.”

Cassie smiled so wide, Briar couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. “I told you you’d look good in normal clothes. But I think this one’s my favorite so far.”

Briar looked away quickly, trying to hide the warmth in her cheeks. “Don’t get too cocky. I’m still not going to wear anything too colorful, though. Let’s not get crazy.”

Cassie winked, clearly triumphant. “I think we’ll get you there eventually.”

By the time they checked out, Briar was grumbling about the whole process, but deep down, she was surprisingly content. She had a few new pieces of clothing—pieces that made her feel more human, more like a person who belonged in Cassie’s world. And for the first time in a long time, Briar didn’t feel like an outsider.

As they left the store, Briar glanced at Cassie. She wanted to complain, to make some sarcastic remark about how she'd never let Cassie make her go shopping again, but instead, she felt something warm blooming in her chest—a little reminder that Cassie was doing more for her than just picking out clothes.

“Thanks,” Briar mumbled, shoving her hands in the pockets of her new hoodie. “For… not making me look like a freak.”

Cassie turned to her with a grin. “Anything for you, Briar. Besides, I think the real question is—what are we going to do with all your old demon clothes?”

Briar gave her a deadpan look. “I’m keeping those. I’m not getting rid of my style just yet.”

Cassie chuckled. “Fine, fine. But you’re getting a closet for them. It’s time to embrace your inner mortal.”

“If I even have one,” Briar muttered, but inside, she was secretly proud of how far she’d come. And maybe, just maybe, she could get used to looking a little more normal for Cassie.