Evelyn closed her eyes, uncertain what to expect, as Susu picked up one corner of her cape with her opposite hand, and swirled it around them. She felt a cool gust of wind that ruffled her hair and sent her loose sleeves flying away from her arms.

When she opened her eyes again, they were standing in an extremely messy library—the complete opposite of Az's neat book-lined room. Shelves with dangerous leans and sagging tables overflowing with books seemed to form a maze around her, but she also noted an open door some distance behind them, which she appreciated. Despite how much larger and cleaner his room was, it still felt more claustrophobic without one.

“And here she is!” Papers rustled and fell to the floor as a large chair behind a desk covered in stacks of them swung around, revealing a female demon who looked much more like Az than Susu. Her face was the same shape, and her skin was the same ink black. Her also-black horns were taller and larger, and her eyes were a vivid violet. She was also clad in a suit, but hers was worn loosely, and seemed more like one found in a thrift store than Az's carefully chosen brand name pieces. She was grinning widely in an expression Evelyn couldn't even imagine seeing on his face as she pointed at her with a long finger. “Who else but Evelyn, right?”

Finally, someone gets my name right!

She nodded, then added hesitantly, “Um, you're... C?”

The demon cleared her throat and spoke in a snooty voice. “That would be the Grand Supreme demon C, of course.”

“Oh! Um, s-sorry—“ Evelyn began, flustered, but C burst out laughing, then waved her hand dismissively.

“I'm just fucking with ya. Anyways, call me C. You've met my lovely wife Susu, of course.”

She gestured with one hand to Susu, who was walking around the desk. She leaned down, and Evelyn was a little surprised to see her drop a small kiss on C's forehead. She turned to leave. “I will go while you learn with Ev.”

“Ah-ah-ah!” C said, shaking her finger with a grin as her diamond-pointed tail tugged on Susu's clothing and pulled her back towards her. “You aren't getting away before you give me a real kiss, babe.”

Susu said something in a chittering, bird-like language that she was obviously much more comfortable speaking in, and happily obliged. Evelyn quickly turned away, feeling hotly embarrassed at the open affection.

Well, they are married, I guess... it's just not something I expected from demons! And I don’t think I’ve seen anyone kiss outside of dramas practically ever… or even hug, for that matter. Let alone hug... me...

It wasn't the appropriate time to dwell on her own loneliness. Susu straightened and touched C's face affectionately. “To your satisfaction?”

C nodded smugly, letting her tail release her wife. “Yes.”

Susu nodded again to Evelyn and disappeared amongst the shelves. From the corner of her eye, Evelyn could see her appearing at the door to her side.

C dragged her attention again by whistling. She turned to her completely with a small jump. “Oh! Um. Yeah. Hi.”

C set her elbows on the desk and dropped her chin in her hands, gesturing up with it. “Have a seat, kiddo.”

“Uh... where?” Evelyn asked politely, looking around at the stacks of books. There seemed to be a few chairs under some of them, but she wasn't sure she'd put money on that claim.

“Oh, my bad—sorry 'bout that.” C snapped her fingers, and a simple wooden chair appeared in front of her desk. Evelyn nearly had a heart palpitation at the unexpected sight. It shouldn't have surprised her—after all, Az could even change her clothes (but hopefully not remove them, she thought, strongly, as if that would make it a fact) with a snap, of course his teacher would be able to manifest a chair.

Evelyn was also surprised at how relieved she felt to sit down. Despite controlling her body rather easily now, she seemed to be a bit low on energy. She looked up at C, who was looking her over with a very discerning look in her eyes, but a friendly grin on her face. C raised a brow.

“You comfy in those goofy clothes?” she asked, waving over her with one hand.

“Uh, yes, they're fine!” Evelyn said quickly, mildly horrified to think that C might have been where Az learned about boundaries. Even though she didn't really mind the outfit she'd ended up in, the idea that every demon could and would treat her as a dress up doll was not a pleasant one.

“Suit yourself. I'm going to smoke.” It wasn't a question. C snapped her fingers with the strange, triplicate sound, and a long, elegant pipe fell into her hand. She took a puff from it without lighting or packing it. Multi-colored smoke still appeared, and she blew out a pink cloud in a ring that somehow avoided Evelyn completely. She couldn't even smell it. It seemed like C was being courteous, and Evelyn decided that Az probably hadn't been paying attention to any lessons she'd given on that.

“Well, politeness dictates that I should apologize for my previous student's behavior. However, fuck politeness, this shit is all on him.” C smiled, but it was a slightly chilling expression rather than the sweet one she'd given to her wife. “Kid's got issues, and I failed to iron them out. Genuinely sorry 'bout that, at least.”

She regarded Evelyn with a observant expression as she let out another puff. “Seems he's fixed you up all right, though. You got any aches or anything?”

Evelyn decided she liked C's candid manner and replied in kind. “Well, I'm a little weaker than I'd like to be. I don't feel confident that I'll be able to do things for long without getting exhausted.”

C shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that would be something he didn't consider. You're healed, all right, but you're lacking the strength a healthy person would have built up. So I'll take care of that. Gonna have to touch you though, that okay?”

Why didn't that asshole pick up lessons in consent from her?

“Thank you.” Evelyn smiled as she nodded. “Yes, that's fine.”

C stood up, revealing that, like Az, she had to be close to or over seven feet tall with her horns. Her suit had no vest, revealing suspenders, and the shirt's collar, as well as the coat, hung open. She walked around the desk and leaned against it, regarding Evelyn again with narrowed eyes as she drew on her pipe, before lifting an arm and setting one finger on her forehead. Evelyn flinched as a strange feeling, like being briefly covered in goo, passed through her body.

C gave a satisfied nod as she brought the pipe back to her mouth. “Yeah, that'll do it. You should probably be about the right strength for the average female your age now. Just turned twenty seven a few minths ago, right? Late July birthday?”

How on earth did she guess so specifically?

“Um, yeah, that's correct.” Evelyn thought for a moment. “How old is Az? I think he implied something like thirty three?”

C's brows had raised almost to her horns, and she burst out laughing.

“What?” Evelyn asked, feeling the smallest bit of a pout forming.

“Az—” C slapped her leg with the hand that wasn't holding the pipe. “Oh my god, why didn't I think of that one. Az, ass, it's too perfect. Way better than Asmodeus.”

Evelyn flushed, even though it wasn't as if C was laughing at her. “It wasn't intentional, but he decided to give me a nickname that was a shortened mispronunciation of my name, so I thought I would return the favor.”

“Oh, I like you, kid.” C nodded to herself, then took another hit of her pipe. “Unfortunately, I can't blame his good taste, unlike D. Don't be offended, babe, but he probably picked the first human that would fit in his fucked up agenda.”

She exhaled more pink smoke, regarding Evelyn with a more serious expression. “Just your bad luck... or maybe good, we'll see.”