The walk back to town was silent. Gin led the way, moving through the forest paths with ease. Juno followed a few steps behind, pendant clutched tight in her fist, eyes scanning the shadows for threats that didn't come.

Ain padded between them, looking far too pleased with himself.

As the trees started to thin, the cobblestone streets of Devil Town appeared ahead, gas lamps flickering to life as evening settled over the city.

Juno's steps slowed as they entered the main square.

It was still alive despite the late hour. Demons moved between shops and taverns. Every seemed normal, really.

But the stares… Juno felt them immediately. Eyes lingering on her as demons passed. Not hostile, exactly, but very, very curious.

One demon paused mid-step, nostrils flaring as she walked by. Her eyes widened at that, and Gin's hand appeared at her elbow, guiding her forward with the lightest pressure.

“Stay close,” he said quietly.

Juno blinked but didn't argue. Let herself be steered slightly to his left. He scanned the street ahead, cataloging every demon they passed, measuring every distance.

A demon slowed as they approached, nose twitching. Its eyes tracked Juno with open interest.

Gin's pace didn't change, but he shifted slightly, putting himself between her and the demon without breaking stride. His hand stayed at her elbow, grip firm enough to keep her moving forward.

The demon's gaze flicked to Gin and held fit or a moment.

Then it kept walking.

She'd never felt this exposed before. Even back home, people avoided her, looked away, crossed the street, acted like she was contagious. But here, they really looked. Like they were seeing something she couldn't.

Two more demons across the street turned to watch. One of them started to cross toward them.

Gin's right hand drifted to his katana. He didn't even wrap his fingers around the hilt. Just let his hand rest there.

The demon stopped. Its companion said something low, and they both turned back.

“You're fine,” Gin said, not looking at her. “Just keep walking.”

She nodded. Ain trotted ahead, with his tail high, completely unbothered.

“Well,” he called back, “this is certainly livelier than the Limbo.”

Gin said nothing.

Juno kept her eyes forward, trying not to notice how many heads turned as they passed. Trying not to think about what would happen if Gin wasn't there.

His gaze was fixed on a building ahead, four stories tall, red brick, with a bar on the ground floor. The sign above the entrance read “The Abyssal Inn” in flickering neon letters.

He slowed as they got closer.

Just for a second. His hand still at Juno's elbow, but his steps hesitating like he'd hit an invisible wall.

Juno glanced up at him. His expression hadn't changed, still neutral, but something in the way he stood there, staring at the door, felt like he was bracing himself.

“Gin?” she said quietly.

He blinked, looked down at her. Whatever had been on his face disappeared.

“This way,” he said.

His hand stayed at her elbow as he pushed open the door.

The bar was all dark wood and aged leather, with the scent of smoke. A few demons sat at scattered tables, nursing drinks, focused on trivial conversations.

They looked up when the door opened. Their eyes tracked Gin first, but then they dropped to Juno. Conversations paused. 

Gin stepped inside, guiding her past the first few tables.

A demon near the bar started to look up, and it shifted its weight like it might stand.

Gin's free hand reached out as they passed and pushed down on the brim of the demon's hat, tipping it forward over its eyes.

The demon sputtered, hands going up to adjust it.

By the time it could see again, Gin and Juno were already past, moving toward the back of the bar like nothing had happened.

Juno's eyes went wide, but she didn't say anything..

The rest of the room's attention slid away. Back to drinks. Back to conversations that suddenly seemed very interesting.

Juno exhaled, hands shaking. Gin kept moving toward the bar counter. She followed, staying close, and realized how grateful she was that he was there.

They approached the bar, where a big burly demon with dark, horned features was cleaning a glass with a rag, not really paying attention.

Then he looked up. And his entire face changed. The glass hit the bar and the rag dropped from his hand.

“No fucking way.”

Gin stopped a few feet from the bar. The demon just stared at him. Blinked repeatedly, then a grin split his face so wide it looked like it hurt.

“Well I'll be damned,” he said, his voice was rough but still, strangely warm. “The Ferryman's back.”

Before Gin could respond, the demon vaulted over the bar and pulled Gin into a bone-crushing hug.

Juno took an involuntary step back.

The demon was massive up close. Easily twice her size, horns curving back from his skull, arms thick as tree trunks. And he'd just moved so fast… Her hand went to her chest, and felt her heart racing.

Gin went stiff in the embrace. His hands hovered awkwardly at his sides like he'd forgotten how hugs worked.

“Kord–”  he started, voice muffled against the demon's shoulder.

“Shut up,” Kord said, squeezing harder. “Let me have this, kid.”

Juno stayed very still, trying to make herself invisible. The way she always did when she didn't know if something was dangerous yet.

After a long moment, Kord finally pulled back, hands still gripping Gin's shoulders. He just looked at him for a second, checking to make sure Gin was real and not some trick of the light.

“Look at you,” he said finally. “Still in one piece. Mostly.”

Gin was slightly frowning. “Yeah. Mostly.”

Kord's gaze dropped to the bloodstains on Gin's coat, then back up to his face. He looked concerned for a moment.

“You look like shit,” he said.

“Thanks.”

“When's the last time you ate something that wasn't fish?”

Gin didn't answer. Kord sighed, but his smile didn't fade completely. He clapped Gin on the shoulder, it looked hard enough to make most people stagger, but Gin just stood there, and he finally let him go.

Then his attention shifted to Juno. His expression changed immediately.

Juno's breath caught. She forced herself not to step back again.

“And who's this?” he asked, voice gentler now.

“Juno,” Gin said, before she could answer. “She's... I'm helping her with something.”

Kord's eyebrows went up. “Helping.” He looked back at Gin. “You? Helping someone?”

“Don't start.”

“I'm not starting. I'm just…” Kord grinned again.  “...observing.”

His gaze went back to Juno, and he seemed to notice the way she was standing, ready to bolt. He took a step back, giving her space.

“You don't need to be scared of me, kid,” he said. “Anyone Gin brings here is safe. That's the rule.”

Juno swallowed and gave him a small nod.

Kord's smile turned wry. “Besides, if I tried anything, he'd probably cut my arm off. And I like my arms.”

“Probably?” Gin said flatly.

“Definitely,” Kord corrected. “Definitely cut my arm off.”

Ain hopped up onto the bar. “Oh, you should've seen it earlier. He was very heroic. Lots of blood. Gin was almost charming.”

“Shut up,” Gin muttered.

Kord's gaze dropped to the cat. “Ain. Should've known you'd be involved.”

“Always a pleasure, Kord.” Ain's tone was light.

Kord looked between the three of them. Gin, bloodstained and tense; Juno, exhausted and clearly terrified; Ain, sitting on his bar like he owned it. Then he sighed.

“Why don't you sit down for a bit?” he said, gesturing to a nearby table. “Please. I'd like to meet your friends properly.”

Gin hesitated, his gaze flicking to Juno, possibly sensing her discomfort. “We really just need a room, Kord.”

Juno bit the inside of her cheek. She should agree with Gin. Get out of here, away from this stranger. But Kord had hugged Gin like he actually mattered. And Gin had let him.

“I don't mind staying for a bit,” she said quietly, and looked at Gin. “Really. It's okay.”

Gin watched her face for a moment, searching for the lie. He didn't find one.

He sighed and nodded. “Alright,” he said to Kord. “We'll stay for a while.”

Kord's face lit up. “Good. Great.” He grinned, already moving toward the bar. “Sit, sit. I'll get you all something to drink.”

They settled at a corner table, away from the other demons.

Kord came back fast with two mugs of ale and a shot glass of water. He set the shot glass down and Ain hopped up immediately, crouching over it like a tiny drunk at a bar.

Juno stared. “Is he…?”

“Yep,” Kord said, pulling up a chair and spinning it backward. “Does this every time.”

He straddled it, arms folded over the backrest. “So.” He looked at Gin, and his grin faded into something more serious. “Ten years and you show up with a human girl and that damn cat. This gonna be trouble?”

Gin took a sip of his ale. “Probably.”

“What kind?”

“The kind that ends with bodies.”

Kord's expression didn't change. “Yours or theirs?”

“Theirs.”

“Good.” Kord's tone stayed light. “Anyone I'd know?”

Gin's jaw tightened slightly. “Sereph.”

Kord went very still. Then he let out a slow breath. “He still breathing?”

“Yeah.”

“That's gonna be a problem.”

“I know.”

Kord studied Gin's face for a moment. Then he nodded once. “Alright. You need backup?”

“No.”

“You sure? Because if Sereph's involved…”

“I said no.” Gin's voice stayed neutral.

Kord held up a hand. “Alright. Your call.” He paused, his gaze shifting briefly to Juno before returning to Gin. “Seriously, I didn't think I'd see the day you'd stick your neck out for someone again.”

Gin said nothing. Just took another drink. She glanced at Gin, but he kept his eye on his mug.

“You going soft on me, kid?” Kord's grin returned, something fond in it.

“Don't call me that.”

“What, kid?” Kord's grin widened. “You'll always be a kid to me. Especially when you show up covered in blood that isn't yours.”

Gin's eye narrowed. “It needed to be done.”

“I'm sure it did.” Kord's tone was amused. “But you could've at least washed your hands before coming in here.”

“We came straight from–”

“I know where you came from,” Kord said. “The whole street probably knows by now. You're not exactly subtle.”

Gin just grunted and took another drink. Kord chuckled, shaking his head. Ain went back to his water. Juno took a careful sip of her ale. It was bitter, stronger than she expected. She tried not to make a face.

Gin noticed.

Juno blinked. She hadn't expected him to be paying attention to her at all, he'd barely looked at her since they sat down, and she'd thought he was still annoyed about... well, everything.

“You don't have to drink it,” he said.

“I'm fine,” Juno said quickly, a little thrown off.

“She's being polite,” Ain said without looking up from his water. “She hates it.”

Juno's face warmed. “I don't–!”

“You made a face,” Gin said. There was the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

“I did not.”

“You did.”

Kord laughed. “I like her.” He looked at Juno. “You've got spine, kid. Takes guts to tell Gin he's wrong.”

“I didn't say he was wrong,” Juno muttered, still a little confused by the sudden shift. A minute ago Gin had been cold and tense. Now he was... almost teasing her?

“You were about to,” Ain said.

The corner of Gin's mouth twitched. Juno stared at him for a second. Then looked away, wrapping both hands around her mug. She didn't know what to do with this version of Gin.

Kord leaned back in his chair, still grinning. “It's good to see you again, kid. Really.” He paused, his expression softening. “Your old man would've been proud, you know. Seeing you like this. Making friends. He always said you had that in you.”

Gin's grip on his mug tightened, the almost-smile disappeared.

“Yeah?” Gin said quietly. “He said a lot of things.”

Then he paused for a moment.

“Most of them weren't true.”

Ain's ears perked up mid-lap. His eyes widened. “Damn,” he whispered.

Kord blinked, the fond expression fading. He hadn't expected that.

 “He did leave," Kord said quietly. “But he left you this place. Left you with me. That's gotta count for something.”

Gin went very still. His hand stopped mid-motion, mug halfway to his lips, and then he set it down.

“Gin…” Kord started.

“Don't.”

Kord paused, studying Gin's face. “I'm not trying to–”

“You don't know what he left me with,” Gin said, not raising his voice. “So let's just drop it.”

Juno shifted in her seat, hands wrapped tight around her mug. She felt like she had to say anything to change the topic, but didn't know what. Didn't know if she should. Ain sat frozen beside his water glass, tail twitching nervously.

After a moment, Gin stood abruptly. “I'm going to check on the room.”

Kord's voice was softer now. “You know where it is, kid.”

Gin's eye flicked to him once, then away. He grabbed a key from behind the bar and walked toward the stairs without another word. His boots made no sound on the wooden floor.

Juno watched him go, something tight in her chest. That version of Gin, the one who'd almost smiled at her, had lasted maybe thirty seconds.

Kord sat there for a moment, staring at the empty staircase. The joy that had been on his face moments ago was completely gone.

The demon sighed and looked at Juno.

“You'll be safe here,” he said. “Whatever mess you've gotten yourself into, whatever trouble's following you, you're safe in this building. That's a promise.”

Juno swallowed, and gave a small nod. “Thank you.”

Kord's mouth pulled into something that might've been a sad smile. “Don't thank me yet. You're traveling with that stubborn bastard.” He gestured toward the stairs. “That's gonna be trouble enough.”

He pulled out a rag and started wiping down the table, distracting himself with movement.

“He's not as cold as he acts, you know,” Kord said, not quite looking at her. “Kid's just... he carries too much. Won't let anyone help him with it.” He paused. “Never has.”

Juno didn't know what to say to that. So she just sat there, hands wrapped around her mug. Ain, who was quiet, watched Kord with those too-bright violet eyes.

“Get some rest when you head up,” Kord continued. “You look like you need it. And if you need anything, food, blankets, whatever, just ask. This place might look like a dive, but we take care of our guests.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Kord nodded, then turned back to the bar, giving her space.

Juno sat there in the heavy silence, not quite sure what to do with herself. Then the floorboards creaked. She looked up.

Gin was coming down the stairs. His expression was more composed now, that earlier tension pulled back behind a calm mask. Their eyes met.

“The room's ready,” he said. “Let's head up.”

Juno stood, relief flooding through her. Ain hopped down from the table, tail flicking behind him.

As they headed for the stairs, Kord called after them: “And Gin? Don't be a stranger this time.”

Gin paused, didn't look back. “We'll see.”

“That's what you said last time.”

Gin kept walking. Kord huffed out a laugh and went back to work.